For many years, humanoid robots were seen as eye-catching demonstration products of research laboratories and technology fairs. However, recent developments show that this technology has begun to move into real production environments.
Within the scope of the new agreement signed between the German industrial giant Schaeffler and the British robotics company Humanoid, it is planned that between 1,000 and 2,000 humanoid robots will work in Schaeffler's global production facilities by 2032. Experts estimate that this could be one of the largest industrial humanoid robot deployments announced to date.
First Stop Germany
The first phase of the project will be carried out at two different facilities in Germany between December 2026 and June 2027.
While robots are planned to be used in box handling and internal logistics tasks at the Herzogenaurach facility, large-scale operational tests will be carried out in production environments at the Schweinfurt facility. One of the important goals of the project is to not only perform tasks but also integrate robots into existing production lines.
Why Are Robots Gaining Importance Now
The developments in the field of artificial intelligence in recent years have begun to directly affect the robotics industry. Thanks to large language models and advanced image processing systems, robots are no longer just machines that repeat pre-programmed movements.
Especially in production facilities;
· Material handling,
· Line feed,
· Warehouse operations,
· Quality control processes,
· Repetitive assembly tasks
The availability of humanoid robots in areas such as
is increasing. Experts state that the aging workforce and the shortage of qualified employees are also accelerating this transformation.
Robot-As-A-Service Model Attracts Attention
One of the striking aspects of the agreement is the Robot-as-a-Service (RaaS) model.
In this model, companies can use robots for a certain service fee, instead of purchasing them directly. Maintenance, software updates, fleet management and technical support services are carried out by the robot provider.
According to experts, this approach can enable robotic technologies to become widespread faster by reducing high initial costs.
Physical Artificial Intelligence Era
One of the concepts that has recently become prominent in the technology sector is “Physical AI”, that is, Physical Artificial Intelligence.
Until today, artificial intelligence was mostly talked about through software applications, chat bots and data analysis systems. However, now artificial intelligence algorithms are starting to merge directly with robots working in the physical world.
Companies such as Nvidia, Tesla, Figure AI, Agility Robotics and Apptronik have similarly accelerated their humanoid robot development efforts. Many technologies that were considered experimental until a few years ago are now being tested in real factories.
New Race in Industrial Robotics
Schaeffler's investments in humanoid robots are growing not only on the user side, but also on the supply chain side. The company also makes important agreements on the development and production of actuators used in robot joints.
Company management predicts that an order volume of hundreds of millions of euros can be reached from the humanoid robotics sector by 2030. This shows that robotic technologies are no longer a niche research field but have turned into a new industrial segment.
What Will the Factories of the Future Be Like?
Developments in the field of robotics give important clues about the future of production facilities. In the short term, humanoid robots are not expected to completely replace human workers. Instead, it is envisaged to be used in tasks that are repetitive, physically tiring or require labor force.
However, the fact that thousands of robots are starting to work in real production environments shows that automation has entered a new phase. The success of these projects over the next few years will determine whether humanoid robots will become standard equipment in industrial production.
The transformation of scenarios that seemed like science fiction a few years ago into pilot applications in factories today may be one of the most important turning points in the history of the robotics industry.