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Artificial intelligence (AI) is at the center of a new, innovative manufacturing trial in Berlin. U.S.-based Apptronik is part of a testing scheme that explores the role of AI, humanoid robots and the production of new mechanical products next to each other at the Mercedes-Benz Digital Factory Campus (MBDFC) in Berlin-Marienfelde.
Since 2022, MBDFC has been the center for Mercedes-Benz future software applications testing in real-world production environments. The luxury vehicle company has integrated these future technologies into the globally used Mercedes-Benz Cars Operations 360 (MO360) digital production software ecosystem.
Mercedes is testing how Apptronik's Apollo humanoid robot could work in its manufacturing facilities. Apollo is one of the world's most advanced commercial humanoid robots. It is an evolution of the company's robotics applications that pulls on experiences learned from building more than 10 previous robots, including NASA's Valkyrie robot, which made its debut a decade ago.
Apollo is the first commercial humanoid robot designed for friendly interaction, mass manufacturability, high payloads and safety, Apptronik touts.
"We have these robots that you see all around us today," Jeff Cardenas, co-founder and CEO of Apptronik, told Newsweek. "They're largely programmed to do one thing, but [what] the future looks like is to have one single robot that can do many different things, that can integrate seamlessly into these environments that are already built around humans, to work with us and change the way we live at work."
Initial testing with Apollo focuses on production, with the robots performing repetitive tasks within internal logistics operations, transporting components or modules to the production line. The company's skilled human workers then assemble and conduct initial quality checks on the transported items.
Further, the robots have been collecting data, working with Mercedes employees to transfer human knowledge to the robots using teleoperation processes and augmented reality. That knowledge will be used further within MO360. All is done using AI-based learning technology.
"One of the ways that I explain this is you can think of this like personal computers in the early '80s. These [robots] are basically mainframe computers, and what we're entering is the personal computer era. I think the important thing for everyone to understand is the beginning of this journey," Cardenas said.
A specific portion of MO360 is designated for the use of AI in production. The integration is designed to allow AI to be "intuitive, accessible and usable for everyone," the company said. As part of the program, human employees are able to use the Mercedes Digital Factory Chatbot Ecosystem, which allows them to ask questions and receive answers from a digital wealth of knowledge of the company's production databases rather than flipping through manuals or calling an expert.
AI is also being employed to support the knowledge of virtual assistants who analyze data in real time. This allows quality deviations to be found more quickly, which is intended to lead to less recalls down the line when products are already in customer hands, among other things.
"It's not a replacement of our team members working on the line. It's at the end an addition," Jörg Burzer, a member of the Management Board Mercedes-Benz Group AG Production, Quality & Supply Chain, said.
Ahead of this robotics trial, MBDFC testing has played an integral role in preparing the company's Rastatt plant for production of the new Mercedes-Benz CLA, which was publicly revealed on March 13.
The role of MBDFC is underlined by Burzer: "Mercedes-Benz Berlin-Marienfelde remains at the cutting edge of automotive production and keeps Germany on the map as a global center for innovation."
Investing in German-based production and innovation has been a hot-button issue in the country. Volkswagen Group has slashed tens of thousands of manufacturing jobs as it aims to restructure its business. BMW and Mercedes-Benz have also made moves to lower headcount in recent years.
A Horváth 2024 survey of auto industry managers found that nearly 60 percent of German automakers plan to cut jobs in Germany by 2030. Fourteen percent of respondent indicated that the cuts would be "significant".
The move comes as regionalization of manufacturing has become more popular, especially as variations in global market powertrain priorities change, supply bottlenecks happen and shipping/transportation costs increase.
Frank Goller, partner at Horváth, told the German Press Agency in June that while job cuts are occurring, German automakers are still investing heavily in their future, saying, "There is a high level of investment in the automation of production facilities and digitalization."
Burzer told Newsweek that today's investment in the humanoid robot project is "likely less" money than Mercedes initially invested in robotics when it first instituted the technology in the early 1970s.
He said: "Artificial intelligence and humanoid robots open up an exciting new frontier which make automotive production more sustainable, efficient and more intelligent."
Efficiency is especially important to automakers today that are investing heavily in research and development of software and hardware, while balancing a lack of demand for battery-electric vehicles on the scale that they had anticipated a decade ago. And, they are bracing themselves for predicted economic headwinds globally, with the downturn in sales of foreign autos in China, the world's largest new vehicle sales market, at the tip of the spear.
Mercedes-Benz has committed to a multimillion dollar investment into Apptronik to continue the robotics partnership. Burzer expects to see widespread use of the humanoid robots across the Mercedes factory landscape by 2030, with each robot costing "less than $100k and more than $9,000."
The company is focusing on implementation in the U.S. and Europe and especially in Germany where there is an aging workforce. But, Burzer is quick to point out that having a fully robotic workforce is not in cards in the near future, citing the complexities of car production.
About the writer
Eileen Falkenberg-Hull leads the Autos team at Newsweek. She has written extensively about the auto industry for U.S. News & ... Read more