Mercedes-Benz Makes Significant Investment in Apptronik's Humanoid Apollo Robots

Mercedes-Benz is investing heavily in the field of humanoid robotics, continuing its collaboration with the US-based robotics firm Apptronik. The two companies recently formalized their partnership with a signed agreement, indicating that Mercedes-Benz will contribute a substantial, low double-digit million amount to Apptronik.

This partnership builds on a year-long pilot program during which Apptronik's humanoid Apollo robots have been operating in Mercedes-Benz production facilities located in Kecskemet, Hungary, and Berlin. The goal is to enhance production efficiency and effectiveness through robotic assistance.

Previously, in the last year, Mercedes-Benz integrated Apollo robots into their manufacturing processes, where they have been gathering data in controlled testing environments. This data is utilized to train the robots for their specific tasks. Experienced Mercedes-Benz operators have used teleoperation and augmented reality (AR) to teach the robots how to perform various tasks accurately.

As the partnership progresses, the focus now shifts towards increasing the autonomy of the Apollo robots, enabling them to perform tasks independently, particularly in logistics. Human workers typically make more errors in repetitive tasks like picking parts from storage containers, a process that the robots can execute with higher precision. Notably, Apollo robots can lift weights of up to 25 kilograms and operate effectively for around four hours on a single battery charge.

The intention behind deploying these robots is not to replace human workers but to take over monotonous tasks, thereby allowing employees to focus on more complex responsibilities. Initially, the robots will handle straightforward tasks, including transporting components and assisting with minor assembly work, as well as contributing to quality control processes.

While both Mercedes-Benz and Apptronik have been discreet regarding the financial details of the investment, it is estimated that the cost of each humanoid robot will not exceed a low five-figure amount in euros or dollars.

This move marks a significant step for Mercedes-Benz as it embraces advanced technologies to streamline its manufacturing processes, reinforcing its commitment to innovation in the automotive industry.