Mercedes-Benz factories in Germany Using Apptronik Apollo Humanoid Robots to build Cars

Updated: March 22 2025 14:42
On March 15, 2024, Apptronik and Mercedes-Benz announced a landmark commercial agreement to deploy Apollo humanoid robots in Mercedes-Benz manufacturing facilities. Under this agreement, Mercedes-Benz is exploring potential use cases for Apollo humanoid robots in logistics to bring parts to the production line for workers to assemble (delivery of assembly kits), while simultaneously inspecting the components. The robots will also be used to deliver totes of kitted parts later in the manufacturing process.


Jörg Burzer, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG for Production, Quality & Supply Chain Management, explained the strategic vision:

To build the most desirable cars we continually evolve the future of automotive production: Advancements in robotics and AI open up new opportunities also for us. We are exploring new possibilities with the use of robotics to support our skilled workforce in manufacturing. This is a new frontier and we want to understand the potential both for robotics and automotive manufacturing to fill labor gaps in areas such as low skill, repetitive and physically demanding work and to free up our highly skilled team members on the line to build the world's most desirable cars.

Mercedes-Benz announced trials of these Apollo robots at their Berlin-Marienfelde factory. These humanoid machines match human proportions - standing 5'8" tall and weighing 160 pounds - while being capable of lifting up to 55 pounds. Currently, they handle internal logistics and repetitive tasks, moving components to assembly lines where human technicians install them in vehicles.



Mercedes isn't pioneering this path alone. Tesla has been experimenting with its Optimus humanoid robots both in factories and for potential customer applications.

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2018
– Hit 5k Model 3/week
– Model 3 becomes best-selling EV in the US
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— Tesla (@Tesla) June 11, 2024

Meanwhile, BMW conducted trial runs with Figure 02 humanoid robots from California-based company Figure. During these trials, the robots successfully inserted sheet metal parts into specific fixtures for chassis assembly - tasks requiring significant dexterity that had previously been performed exclusively by human workers.


Figure 02 features improved processing power, voice communication, sensors, battery performance, and advanced hands with 16 degrees of freedom per hand. The robot can autonomously execute complex two-handed tasks requiring precise manipulation and coordination, place components with millimeter accuracy, and walk dynamically. While no Figure robots are currently stationed at BMW's Spartanburg plant and no definite implementation timeline exists, the companies will continue working together on data capture and training capabilities.


According to Bryan Goodman, Ford's director of artificial intelligence, DeepSeek stands alongside models from major players like OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, Meta, and Mistral in Ford's AI toolkit. While Goodman doesn't consider DeepSeek's models superior to those from Anthropic, Google Gemini, or OpenAI, he specifically values DeepSeek for its open-source nature, stating that "because they shared everything with the world, I think we're going to see a lot built on top of it." This open approach to AI development aligns with Ford's strategy to accelerate their traditionally time-consuming design processes through AI integration, as the company maintains thousands of NVIDIA GPUs in-house rather than relying solely on cloud computing for their AI infrastructure.

In China, state-owned Dongfeng Motors has integrated AI-powered robots from Ubtech to execute a series of tasks in the manufacturing process. It will reportedly include an inspection of the seat belts, door locks, headlight cover, body quality, rear cover, and interior. The robots are also expected to handle many other tasks including oil filling, front axle subassembly, collection and material picking, attaching the logo, and label printing. Notably, the robots will operate in collaboration with traditional automation equipment.


By promoting the deep integration of with AI, not only will production efficiency be significantly enhanced, but the production processes will also undergo flexible restructuring. Participants visited the application scenarios of humanoid robots can experience new energy products such as the Forthing S7 (integrated with the Deepseek large model) and the Forthing V9.



The recent advancement that could accelerate this trend dramatically is NVIDIA's introduction of Isaac GR00T N1, the world's first open, fully customizable foundation model specifically designed for humanoid robots. Unveiled at NVIDIA's GTC conference, this technology promises to transform how robots learn and adapt to new tasks.


NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang described GR00T N1 as bringing to robotics what ChatGPT did for language models - creating a foundation that enables generalized reasoning and skills across various scenarios without requiring specialized programming for each new function. It allows humanoid robots to reason about their environment, plan actions, and then translate these plans into precise physical movements - essentially mimicking how humans process information and interact with the world.


The economic rationale for humanoid robots in manufacturing is compelling. As Jensen Huang bluntly put it:

The going rate for renting a human robot is probably $100,000 and I think it's pretty good economics.

This straightforward assessment cuts to the heart of why humanoid robots are being developed - they represent potentially tremendous economic value. At that price point, these robots would be competitive with human labor in many high-skilled manufacturing contexts, especially when you consider their ability to:

• Operate 24/7 without breaks
• Require no benefits or time off
• Maintain consistent performance without fatigue
• Receive rapid upgrades and improvements

Huang specifically pointed to manufacturing as the first industry likely to see widespread adoption of humanoid robots: "I think it ought to go to factories first. And the reason for that is because the domain is much more guard-railed, and the use case is much more specific."


This technology arrives at a critical moment when global labor shortages are estimated to exceed 50 million workers. Humanoid robots with generalized skills could help address gaps in manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and other sectors facing workforce challenges.

For Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and other manufacturers, these robots represent not just an efficiency play but a solution to structural labor challenges that threaten production capacity. The automotive industry has traditionally relied on skilled workers performing repetitive tasks - precisely the combination that is becoming increasingly difficult to staff as workforce demographics shift.

What sets this robotics revolution apart from previous automation waves is its collaborative nature. The open foundation model approach championed by NVIDIA democratizes access to advanced robotics capabilities, potentially accelerating innovation across industries.



The Apptronik-Mercedes-Benz partnership illustrates a key advantage of humanoid robots: they're optimized to perform in spaces designed for humans, avoiding the need for full-scale facility redesigns that would be built around traditional robots rather than people. This human-centered approach allows manufacturers to automate physically demanding, repetitive tasks for which it's increasingly difficult to find reliable workers, while maintaining their existing infrastructure.

As Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and other manufacturers continue integrating humanoid robots into their production processes, we're witnessing the early stages of what could be the most significant transformation in manufacturing since the introduction of industrial robots in the 1960s.