China's electric-vehicle giant BYD plans to unveil its first humanoid robots in August at its Di Space experience centres. The company told the South China Morning Post the robots will interact with visitors rather than serve only as concept displays. BYD has invested heavily in AI and related technologies, with executive vice-president Stella Li predicting China will be the first market to fully commercialise humanoid robots. Other Chinese EV makers including Xpeng, Li Auto and Xiaomi are also developing humanoids for factory, logistics, hospitality and care roles. Xpeng expects to produce more than 1,000 units a month by the end of 2026. The moves intensify rivalry with Tesla's Optimus project, which has yet to be commercialised. Analysts note China holds a supply-chain advantage in cost-efficient components and already hosts nearly 100 humanoid robot makers. The US recently restricted imports of certain foreign humanoid and quadruped robots.
China's electric-vehicle giant BYD plans to unveil its first humanoid robots in August at its Di Space experience centres. The company told the South China Morning Post the robots will interact with visitors rather than serve only as concept displays. BYD has invested heavily in AI and related technologies, with executive vice-president Stella Li predicting China will be the first market to fully commercialise humanoid robots. Other Chinese EV makers including Xpeng, Li Auto and Xiaomi are also developing humanoids for factory, logistics, hospitality and care roles. Xpeng expects to produce more than 1,000 units a month by the end of 2026. The moves intensify rivalry with Tesla's Optimus project, which has yet to be commercialised. Analysts note China holds a supply-chain advantage in cost-efficient components and already hosts nearly 100 humanoid robot makers. The US recently restricted imports of certain foreign humanoid and quadruped robots.