Mercedes has started the experimentation of Apptronik humanoid robots

The commencement of the pilot season has been formally announced in the realm of humanoid robots. Amazon started the trial of Agility’s Digit robots at certain fulfillment facilities last year, and in January of this year, Figure announced a partnership with BMW. Apptronik has just entered the market via a collaborative alliance with Mercedes-Benz.

As per the robotics company headquartered in Austin, Apptronik and Mercedes-Benz have entered into an agreement whereby they will jointly explore potential uses for cutting-edge robotics inside the Mercedes-Benz manufacturing sector. The specific numerical values have not been revealed, as is common in such transactions. Typically, the quantity of systems included in a pilot is quite limited, which is to be expected considering the nascent stage of the technology.

Nevertheless, these agreements are considered mutually beneficial for both sides. Apptronik may exhibit evident enthusiasm from a prominent automobile brand, while Mercedes conveys to both consumers and shareholders that it is forward-thinking. What follows is of utmost importance. If the pilot is successful, leading to a significant order from the automaker, it would greatly benefit Apptronik and the whole industry.

According to Figure’s impressive $675 million fundraising, there has been a significant increase in investor interest in humanoids recently. The next few years will be crucial for the ongoing prosperity of these companies as they strive to demonstrate their significant return on investment.
Regarding the specific tasks that the robots will perform on the manufacturing floor, co-founder and CEO Jeff Cardenas states in a press release that Mercedes intends to utilize robotics and Apollo to automate certain low-skill, physically demanding, and manual labor. In the near future, other organizations are likely to imitate this utilization.

“Low skill” refers to how much work these technologies will replace. In my estimation, the task mostly entails the transportation of crates from one location to another, which is a repetitious and physically demanding activity that is crucial and reasonably simple to mechanize. Another significant aspect of the concept of “low skill” is likely an effort to address concerns around the potential replacement of human employment. We are still far from humanoids being capable of doing so in a significant manner.