The challenges automakers face with humanoid robots
STORY: Tesla has an ambitious plan – to deploy thousands of humanoid robots within its factories,
expanding eventually to millions around the world.
(Elon Musk) ‘’Tesla Bot will be real."
And it's not just Tesla.
Other automakers, like Honda and Hyundai, have also been leveraging robotics technology to expand automation at car factories.
But not without facing challenges and skepticism.
Let's take a look at why companies have struggled to create commercially viable human-like robots, despite decades-long development efforts.
Tesla's humanoid robots, Optimus, will be initially used in manufacturing and logistics to address a labor shortage. Think of boring and repetitive work.
Longer term, Musk said robots could be used in homes, making dinner, mowing the lawn and caring for the elderly people.
But these robots are expensive and just like self-driving cars, humanoid robots have trouble with unpredictable situations.
Experts say to succeed, Tesla will need to show their robots can do multiple, unscripted actions, almost like humans.
Japanese automaker Honda’s Asimo bipedal robot had served as a face for the company.
But after more than two decades of development, it's still not commercialized.
Honda is now focusing on disaster relief robots and "Avatar" robots for tasks like remote surgery…with the goal of deploying the machines in the 2030s.
Boston Dynamics created a buzz with videos of its humanoid robots running, jumping, backflipping and dancing.
But the loss-making U.S. company changed hands several times, with Google, SoftBank and then Hyundai becoming the its owner.
Boston Dynamics Founder, Marc Raibert:
"You know, I think that Hyundai and Boston Dynamics are a match made in heaven. Right now, most of the robots used in factories are doing very repetitive, very specific, precision oriented jobs. And that's not what we see in the future. We see a future where robots become much more intelligent, much more useful, really contribute to productivity and safely and become a part of our everyday lives."
In 2020, Ford bought two humanoid robots, Digit, from Oregon-based Agility Robotics.
The carmaker wanted to test the delivery of a package to doorstep from a delivery vehicle.
Damion Shelton, CEO of Agility Robotics:
"We've been very upfront that we've been focused on the logistics industry, sort of broadly construed. And that includes all sides of logistics. Last-mile delivery, working in warehouses alongside of people."
From 2007 to 2012, General Motors and NASA joined hands to develop humanoid robots, R2, for assembly and
space exploration.
But NASA says they’re not under development anymore.
Several robot startups like Rethink Robotics also went out of business, as they failed to commercialize their products.
相關影片推薦
9:00
韓國工廠火災:中國朝鮮族女工遇難 家屬淚訴最後訊息BBC NEWS 中文62,299 次觀看・2 週前2:01
中國快時尚危機 年丟2600萬噸衣服 合成纖維占7成無法回收Yahoo奇摩(國際通)129,579 次觀看・2 週前1:58
鼓山美術館豪宅區淹大水 整片"土黃泥流"損失慘民視影音151,472 次觀看・1 天前1:58
新北送高雄1146元外送單是真的! 外送員現身東森新聞影音418,673 次觀看・3 天前1:47
台南新營區"後鎮排水"潰堤 鹽水區淹成汪洋民視影音212,655 次觀看・1 天前2:43
只差3秒! 蘇花工程人員逃命畫面曝光 倒車逃險遭埋華視影音99,804 次觀看・1 天前11:02
地震來了怎麼辦?豆腐別再涼拌了,教你新吃法,做法簡單味道足,加上杏鮑菇,香!芭樂媽的家 Qistin Wong TV73,158 次觀看・5 天前2:27
凱米來襲!高雄多區淹水一級警戒 高美館豪宅區淹水「影片曝光」民視影音152,773 次觀看・2 天前10:59
如何把剩飯變好吃?加上小黃瓜,不油炸不燉煮,出鍋孩子搶著吃,香!芭樂媽的家 Qistin Wong TV21,864 次觀看・5 天前1:47
日本芒果好貴!一顆要價近千元 台日價差10倍|#鏡新聞鏡新聞8,439 次觀看・2 週前
熱門必看
13:07
葉全真不愛邀人作客竟是因為這點?唐老師:「好典型的處女座」!Ep.225-2唐綺陽談星室377,109 次觀看・3 週前24:06
霸氣挑戰南部小吃價格 吃到賺到!板橋10樣親民價美食Yahoo創作摩人136,160 次觀看・1 個月前23:55
吃爆三峽老街美食|九間就被擊垮了|最道地金牛角竟是這家?|阿環格格出遊去 Ft.阿環小姐 [送你營養吃]黃君聖Sunny營養師155,396 次觀看・1 個月前21:58
瀕臨破產到全球市值最強!輝達(Nvidia)是怎麼崛起的?買他們股票的都賺翻了?《 時代的巨人》EP 021|志祺七七志祺七七 X 圖文不符202,951 次觀看・1 個月前6:30
台中南屯|百年秘方汕頭火鍋Lee Yi李易42,835 次觀看・1 個月前