Automotive Industry breaks a new record

The automotive industry, pioneer in automation, has broken a new record: 1 million robots work in the industry globally. This represents approximately one-third of total installations across all industries.

The president of the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) claims that it was the automotive industry that effectively invented automated manufacturing. Nowadays, robots play a vital role in driving the industry’s transition from internal combustion engines to electric power.

Robot density is a key indicator of the current level of automation in major automotive production economies:

-The Republic of Korea uses 2,867 industrial robots per 10,000 employees (2021).

-Germany uses 1,500 units

-United States 1,457.

-Japan has 1,422 units per 10,000 workers.

China, the world’s largest automobile manufacturer, has a robot density of 772 units. However, it is quickly outpacing this number: the number of new robots installed in the Chinese automotive industry has reached 61,598 units in 2021 in one year. That represents 52% of the total of 119,405 units installed in factories around the world.

On the other hand, the objectives set for electric vehicles are forcing the automotive industry to invest: the European Union has announced plans to stop selling vehicles with air pollution by 2035.

Taking the United States as an example, the deadline is 2030. By 2035, all new cars sold in China will have to use “new energy” energy. Half of them must be electric, fuel cell or plug-in hybrid vehicles. The remaining 50% must be hybrids.

Most auto manufacturing plants that invested in traditional “caged” robots for basic assembly are now also investing in collaborative applications for final assembly and finishing tasks.