Tech organisation Xiaomi has tested self-developed humanoid robots in its car production facility. The company plans to deploy a significant number of these robots in its own factories over the next five years. Xiaomi founder Lei Jun, who is also the company's CEO and chairman, shared an article detailing the trial operations.
The humanoid robots operated autonomously for three continuous hours during the trials. They successfully completed assembly tasks without any human intervention, demonstrating their capabilities.
A video released by Xiaomi showed the robots picking screw nuts and tightening them to designated spots on car floors. They achieved a 90.2% success rate for simultaneous installation on both sides, aligning with Xiaomi’s rapid vehicle production time of 76 seconds per unit.
Xiaomi stated that the success rate was measured by dividing the number of successful installations by the total attempts. Key technical challenges involved precise alignment with locating pins, handling variations in the nuts’ internal spline structures, and countering magnetic forces that could affect gripping stability.
Lei said in a social media post that this marks the initial step towards stable application of Xiaomi’s humanoid robot in intelligent manufacturing. He added that the company would continue to promote the use of general-purpose humanoid robots in smart manufacturing.
The robots carried out a range of tasks on the automotive production line. These included removing protective films, installing vehicle badges, picking up and placing self-tapping nuts, and moving material boxes.
Xiaomi indicated this demonstrated a shift from laboratory-based technology demonstrations to real-world industrial scenarios. The company did not disclose the expected number of robots to be deployed, the cost per unit, or a specific timeline for the five-year target.
The robot technology is built on the company’s tactile fine-tuning model, TacRefineNet. This model relies solely on tactile sensing without vision or object 3D models. It also uses a vision-language-action large model, emphasising tactile perception in precision assembly.
Xiaomi also showcased several other products at MWC Barcelona 2026. These included the debut of a concept electric hypercar, Vision Gran Turismo. The company also announced plans to produce a premium smartphone in partnership with German camera maker Leica.
Humanoid robots represent a high-profile segment of China’s growing technology sector. This area is receiving renewed attention from capital markets. Momentum for humanoid robotics investment continues, following their notable presence at this year’s Spring Festival Gala.
Two robotics companies that appeared at the event announced results of fresh financing rounds. Galbot revealed it had raised 2.5 billion yuan (US$363 million) on Monday, just months after raising more than US$300 million at a valuation exceeding 20 billion yuan.
Noetix Robotics also announced it raised nearly 1 billion yuan in Series B financing. This round was led by Chendao Capital, an affiliate of battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd.
Xiaomi tested self-developed humanoid robots in a car production facility, planning a large-scale deployment within five years.
The robots operated autonomously for three hours, achieving a 90.2% success rate in assembly tasks.
They performed various tasks on the automotive line, including film removal, badge installation, and material handling.
Source: SCMP
