Mercedes puts humanoid robots on the factory floor

Car manufacturing has always relied on thousands of human hands to keep lines moving. Now, Mercedes-Benz is bringing in two-legged mechanical helpers to shoulder the load.

On Friday, robotics startup Apptronik announced a commercial agreement with Mercedes to pilot humanoid robots in automotive manufacturing. The automaker is testing Apptronik’s bipedal robot, Apollo, for repetitive and physically demanding tasks that automakers increasingly struggle to staff.

Neither company disclosed the contract value or the exact number of robots being deployed.

Delivering parts on the line

Mercedes is starting with practical logistics. The pilot will evaluate Apollo’s ability to inspect parts and deliver components directly to human workers on the assembly line.

Apollo stands five feet, eight inches tall, weighs 160 pounds, and can lift objects up to 55 pounds. While its digital face looks surprisingly goofy, its proportions are designed to fit seamlessly into human workspaces.

According to the Financial Times, the trials are taking place at a Mercedes plant in Hungary. The location is telling: Hungary has wrestled with severe labor shortages for years as workers move to Western Europe, a headache Mercedes and Audi have flagged since at least 2016.

Mercedes production chief Jörg Burzer noted that the goal is filling labor gaps in dull, low-skill work so skilled team members can focus on building cars.

Apptronik argues that humanoid bots offer a massive advantage over custom factory automation. Instead of rebuilding facilities and tearing down walls for conveyors or caged robotic arms, Apollo simply walks existing factory pathways and handles standard bins.

Mercedes is far from alone here. BMW inked a deal with Figure in January to test its Figure 01 robot in South Carolina, Tesla is testing Optimus inside its own plants, and Amazon is already evaluating Agility Robotics’ Digit in warehouses.

Why it matters

Mercedes is taking a surprisingly pragmatic approach by having Apollo deliver parts rather than attempt complex precision assembly. Moving bins and inspecting parts gives the robot a low-stakes environment to prove its worth. If Apollo drops a tote or pauses to recalculate, the entire multimillion-dollar assembly line doesn’t instantly grind to a halt.

For auto workers, this is the clearest signal yet that factory floors are evolving. It will not eliminate skilled assemblers overnight, but low-skill material-handling gigs are clearly in the crosshairs, especially in regions facing demographic headwinds.

Still, skepticism remains warranted. Maintaining complex bipedal machines is notoriously expensive, and wheeled automated carts already move boxes quite reliably. Whether two-legged robots truly justify their cost and complexity in a paved factory setting is an open question, but the race between Mercedes, BMW, and Tesla to find out is officially on.