Hyundai Wia launched new products to enter the mobile robotics market
Recently, Hyundai Wia of South Korea officially announced its entry into the mobile robotics market with the launch of its new logistics robot product line. This represents a significant expansion of the company’s downstream automated logistics equipment, in addition to its components manufacturing and machine tool systems. This product line is expected to serve applications requiring high-frequency movement and flexible motion, such as warehousing, distribution, and e-commerce.
The new logistics robot series includes two categories: platform-based logistics handling robots and AGVs/AMRs, both capable of handling large items and free-route navigation. Platform-based robots are primarily used for handling heavy pallets or components within factories or warehouses; AGVs/AMRs feature path planning, obstacle avoidance, and remote monitoring capabilities to adapt to complex logistics environments. Product specifications include a maximum payload of 1,500 kg, a battery life of approximately 8 to 10 hours, fast charging support, and a modular design for adjustable load and power configurations.
As a core parts and industrial equipment manufacturer under the Hyundai Motor Group, Hyundai Wia has long focused on the manufacturing and precision machining of machine tools, engine parts, and automatic transmission components. Its accumulated expertise in precision manufacturing, including smart factory solutions, naturally aligns with the motion control and environmental perception capabilities required of mobile robots. The launch of new mobile robots is a clear strategic extension of its “technology spillover” strategy, transforming the automation technology developed for Hyundai Motor’s supply chain into a universal solution, serving both the group’s internal smart manufacturing upgrades and exporting its industrial automation capabilities externally.
Sharp unveiled the new thin palletizing robot storage system
In September 2025, Sharp Corporation of Japan debuted at the “Logis-Tech Tokyo 2025 – INNOVATION EXPO. 2025,” and showcased several innovative logistics technologies, including a new thin palletizing robot storage system, a smart glasses picking assistance solution, and a “zero-error” alcohol testing management service, demonstrating its deep expertise and product innovation capabilities in the smart logistics sector.
At the exhibition, Sharp showcased its “Thin Palletizing Robot Storage System,” which uses a goods-to-person (GTP) model to significantly improve picking efficiency by delivering goods to pickers with robots. The system is only 700 mm wide, allowing robots to navigate warehouse aisles typically wider than 900 mm. Unlike traditional models, its shelves can be separated, and only the required items are delivered to the operator along with the shelves, creating “shelf-based picking,” effectively reducing work paths and time.
As a globally renowned integrated electronics company, Sharp has traditionally focused on consumer electronics, home appliances, and information and communications equipment. In recent years, Sharp has gradually extended its technology research and development and market strategy to expanding into smart logistics and industrial automation, striving to transform itself from a hardware supplier to a provider of intelligent solutions. This first large-scale exhibition is a significant signal of its full-scale entry into the logistics technology market.
Sharp, with years of experience in miniaturizing electronic devices, has dedicated its precision manufacturing capabilities to a new, thin-profile stacking robot storage system, directly addressing the industry bottleneck of insufficient space utilization in traditional warehouse robots. With the explosive growth of e-commerce logistics orders, warehouse space costs continue to rise. Sharp, leveraging its expertise in sensor and display technology, has enabled robots to perform high-precision operations in narrower aisles. This “space efficiency revolution” perfectly meets the urgent need for dense storage solutions in the Japanese and global markets.
ByteDance Logistics Robotics exceed 1,000 units in mass production
On July 2, ByteDance has achieved mass production of over 1,000 robots, aiming to achieve their production target of 200 units by 2023, with annual production numbers expected to increase by over 100% thereafter.
ByteDance currently mass-produces wheeled logistics robots, also known as autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). The ByteDance Logistics Robotics, which lacks a robotic arm for sorting, is primarily used to transport packages and parts within warehouses and production lines. It can autonomously learn, plan routes, and move to its destination. Currently, ByteDance Logistics Robotics is reportedly serving its own operations, such as Douyin e-commerce warehouses, but have also secured external clients, such as SF Express and BYD Electronics, to transport parts and finished goods within production bases.
After several years of development, ByteDance robotics team’s long-term goal is to challenge embodied intelligence. ByteDance’s research and development and production of logistics robotics are primarily aimed at exploring embodied intelligence, entering real-world scenarios, obtaining data, and gaining feedback and hands-on experience.
Foxconn planned to collaborate with Robust.AI on warehouse robots
In May 2025, Robust.AI, a developer of AI-powered warehouse automation, entered into a strategic manufacturing partnership with Foxconn, the world’s largest electronics manufacturing services provider, to expand the production of its flagship product, Carter, a versatile cobot platform.
The embedded automation capabilities of Carter, a warehouse robot of Robust.AI, are designed to augment existing warehouse operations and workforces, helping global manufacturing and logistics providers achieve significant productivity gains. Its collaborative, software-defined functionality allows facilities to dynamically switch between fulfillment picking, point-to-point shipping, or mobile sorting walls.
“As supply chain and international tariff fluctuations increase the complexity and cost of global logistics operations, our strategic manufacturing partnership with Foxconn will enable us to quickly fulfill orders for our Carter robots, which are improving productivity and efficiency for some of the world’s largest logistics and manufacturing companies,” said Anthony Jules, CEO of Robust.AI.
“Foxconn’s unparalleled global manufacturing capabilities make it one of the most trusted partners for advanced manufacturing across the world. Our combined robotics expertise will help multinational companies quickly and cost-effectively streamline their logistics and warehousing operations and augment their existing workforce with cobot automation solutions.” Bob Deng, Executive Vice President of Foxconn, said, “Foxconn is pleased to expand its manufacturing partnership with Robust.AI and help accelerate and scale global production of its innovative Carter robotics platform.”
Foxconn has identified robotics as one of its three emerging industries: EVs, digital healthcare, and robotics., planning to develop mobile robots (such as service robots and automated guided vehicles) in tandem with industrial robots to build an “intelligent manufacturing + smart logistics” ecosystem. Its robotics manufacturing platform already supports customized production and will expand into healthcare, retail, and other sectors in the future.
In the mobile robotics sector, FARobot, a joint venture between Foxconn and ADLINK, was officially established in 2020, focusing on the research and development and application of AMRs. FARobot has already launched a series of mobile robot products.
In general, giant companies from the manufacturing, electronics, Internet, and contract manufacturing sectors are entering the market with their respective technological expertise and resource endowments, not only reshaping the market landscape but also defining the future direction of the industry. Future competition will no longer be a competition of single technologies, but a contest of ecosystems. Whoever can best integrate hardware innovation, software intelligence and scenario understanding capabilities will dominate this reconstruction.
Note:
The 2024-2025 Global Mobile Robot Industry Development Report has been released. If you need it, please feel free to contact us.
For details of the report, please click https://cnmra.com/release-of-the-2024-2025-global-mobile-robot-industry-development-report/.
