Rising labor costs are driving increased reliance on robotics in the automotive industry, accelerating a trend that has been ongoing for six decades. Laurie Harbour, president of manufacturing consulting firm Harbour Results, notes that automation is becoming more critical for automakers. Car companies installed 136,000 new industrial robotic units in 2022, according to the International Federation of Robotics, making the auto sector the second-largest consumer of robots after electronics. The adoption of robotics is expected to be gradual, with companies incorporating automation as workers retire. Although automakers have been employing automation for some time, rising labor costs are set to speed the adoption of the technology. This shift towards automation aligns with the broader trend seen at the Consumer Electronics Show, where robots played a prominent role in various applications.