Nearly 20 Automakers Accelerate Humanoid Robot Push, Targeting Mass Production by 2026

Recently, Li Ke, Executive Vice President of BYD, revealed that the company’s self-developed humanoid robot has been named “Yao Shun Yu” and is scheduled for internal deployment of 20,000 units by 2026. Since late 2024, BYD has been recruiting talent through its embodied intelligence team and making strategic investments in this area. Globally, nearly 20 major automakers have already entered the humanoid robotics field, falling into three main camps: overseas automakers, Chinese EV startups, and traditional domestic automakers. According to corporate roadmaps, 2026 will mark a pivotal year for mass production and deployment of automaker-backed humanoid robots. Tesla is currently upgrading its production line for the third-generation Optimus and expects to achieve large-scale mass production within this year. XPeng’s IRON humanoid robot is slated for mass production by the end of 2026. Xiaomi’s humanoid robot is already undergoing real-world testing on vehicle assembly lines, while traditional automakers such as GAC, Chery, and Changan are also actively advancing their R&D efforts. The industry currently follows a “pilot internally first, commercialize externally later” strategy. Due to high costs of precision components and immature autonomous operation capabilities in complex environments, humanoid robots are primarily deployed in automakers’ own factories and 4S stores for simple tasks, mainly to accumulate operational data. Only after costs decrease and reliability meets required standards will these robots gradually expand to external customers. The consumer-grade home market remains a long-term goal. Automakers’ interest in humanoid robots stems largely from cost advantages enabled by technology reuse: First, humanoid robots share core technologies—such as perception and decision-making—with autonomous driving systems, allowing R&D costs to be shared across domains. Second, automakers possess mature manufacturing processes and supply chain management capabilities, which facilitate scalable robot production. Against the backdrop of shrinking profit margins and overcapacity in China’s auto industry, humanoid robots are seen as a key avenue to establish a “second growth curve” and enhance brands’ technological image. However, the sector still faces significant challenges: integrated hardware-software development is highly complex, and existing autonomous driving technologies offer only limited reusability; the core component supply chain remains underdeveloped, keeping costs high; and commercialization pathways remain unclear. Most automakers are investing heavily but unlikely to turn a profit in the short term, lacking well-defined, large-scale application scenarios. Overall, despite automakers’ strengths in manufacturing and cost control, technological and cost barriers mean humanoid robots are unlikely to become profitable soon. Widespread commercial adoption will likely require another three to five years of technological iteration and cost optimization, with considerable uncertainty ahead.