Humanoid Robots in Factories: Commercial Work, Pilots and Announcements
A verified database of humanoid factory and warehouse projects, separating commercial deployments, pilots, internal tests, demos and partnerships.
Introduction
Figure 02 spent 1,250 hours at BMW Group Plant Spartanburg and loaded more than 90,000 sheet-metal parts, according to Figure’s November 2025 report. Agility says Digit has accumulated more than 65,000 operating hours across nine customer facilities and names GXO, Schaeffler, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada and Mercado Libre as commercial customers. Those are stronger records than a partnership announcement or a robot filmed once beside a production line.
This database assigns one of eight statuses to every case: commercial deployment, paid pilot, technical pilot, internal test, demonstration, announced partnership, memorandum of understanding or deployment claim without sufficient evidence. The status follows the available proof, not the most ambitious wording in a press release. A factory video is not enough by itself. The record needs a named site or customer, task, date and evidence of duration, recurring work, transaction or integration. Where robot count, shift schedule, autonomy or payment terms remain private, the table says so.
Key findings
- Figure’s completed Figure 02 BMW program has the most detailed public task metrics among biped factory deployments reviewed.
- Agility provides the broadest current commercial-customer evidence, including operating hours and multiple named facilities.
- Apptronik’s Mercedes-Benz program is a pilot even though the release uses “commercial agreement.”
- UBTECH documents many Chinese automotive and manufacturing trials, but most pages omit fleet size, duration and independent operating data.
- Hyundai’s Atlas fleet is scheduled for 2026; a scheduled shipment is not yet a completed deployment.
Verified humanoid factory and warehouse cases
Status is based on evidence available July 11, 2026. Company-reported metrics are labeled as such.
| Robot / company | Client and site | Task and date | Evidence | Status | Autonomy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Figure 02 / Figure AI | BMW Group Plant Spartanburg, South Carolina, USA | Sheet-metal part loading; 11-month program reported November 2025 | 90,000+ parts, 1,250+ hours, weekday 10-hour shifts and stated KPIs; company report | Commercial deployment | Supervised autonomous; intervention target stated, achieved rate not fully published |
| Figure 03 / Figure AI | BMW Group, named logistics workflow | Parts handling and cart pulling; June 2026 update | Official deployment update, but shorter public operating history than Figure 02 | Technical pilot / early deployment | Autonomous classification claimed by Figure; intervention data limited |
| Digit / Agility Robotics | GXO facility, Georgia, USA | Tote movement in logistics; multi-year RaaS announced 2024 | Commercial agreement and repeated tote-moving claims; company says more than 100,000 totes | Commercial deployment | Supervised autonomous with Agility Arc fleet management |
| Digit / Agility Robotics | Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada | Manufacturing, supply chain and logistics tasks; commercial agreement February 2026 after pilot | Official RaaS agreement following a successful pilot | Commercial deployment | Supervised autonomous; fleet size not disclosed |
| Digit / Agility Robotics | Schaeffler facilities | Material movement; agreement announced November 2024 | Customer investment and intended purchase; later Agility materials call current operations commercial | Commercial deployment | Supervised autonomous; site-level task and count not public |
| Digit / Agility Robotics | Mercado Libre, San Antonio, Texas | Fulfillment support; agreement December 2025 | Commercial agreement and named facility; unit count not disclosed | Commercial deployment | Supervised autonomous |
| Digit / Agility Robotics | Amazon research facility | Tote recycling / material movement tests | Officially named by Agility as customer or deployment partner; current fleet detail limited | Technical pilot | Supervised autonomous |
| Apollo / Apptronik | Mercedes-Benz manufacturing facilities | Kitted-parts delivery and component inspection; announced March 2024 | Official agreement explicitly says pilot and exploration | Paid pilot or technical pilot; payment not disclosed | Human-in-the-loop / supervised autonomous; exact mode not published |
| Apollo / Apptronik | Jabil manufacturing operations | Build, test and deploy Apollo; announced 2025 | Strategic manufacturing and pilot partnership; site metrics not public | Technical pilot / announced scaling partnership | Autonomy not disclosed |
| Atlas / Boston Dynamics | Hyundai Robotics Metaplant Application Center | Industrial material handling; fleet scheduled for 2026 | Hyundai named first customer; shipment and operating results pending | Announced deployment | Supervised autonomous target; field evidence pending |
| Optimus / Tesla | Tesla internal factories | Material handling and internal tasks; recurring company demonstrations | No external customer, audited hours or stable fleet count published | Internal test | Autonomy not disclosed per clip |
| Walker S / UBTECH | NIO advanced manufacturing base F2, China | Final assembly and quality inspection | Official UBTECH case page; duration, count and shift data absent | Technical pilot | Autonomy not disclosed in enough detail |
| Walker S1 / UBTECH | BYD factory, China | Handling and coordination with AMRs/AGVs | Official case page describes one-stop autonomous logistics application | Technical pilot | Supervised autonomous claim; independent evidence absent |
| Walker S Lite / UBTECH | Zeekr / Geely smart warehouse, China | Parcel-tote handling and CTU loading; three weeks of training | Named site and training duration on official page | Technical pilot | Autonomy not disclosed |
| Walker S / UBTECH | Dongfeng Liuzhou Motor, China | Inspection, fluid filling and emblem application | Official page lists tasks but no operating duration or count | Demonstration / technical pilot | Autonomy not disclosed |
| Walker S2 / UBTECH | SANY RE wind-power smart factory, China | Bolt-sleeve removal, sorting, tray transfer and assembly collaboration | Official industrial-solution page; fleet and shift metrics absent | Technical pilot | Supervised autonomous claim |
| Walker S2 plus logistics robots / UBTECH | Foxconn New Energy Vehicle R&D Centre, China | SPS parts feeding for Chitu α production validation | Official multi-agent collaboration description | Technical pilot | Supervised autonomous / coordinated system |
| Phoenix / Sanctuary AI | Magna automotive operations | Inspection, assembly and general manufacturing work | Strategic investment and development partnership; detailed live shift data not public | Announced partnership / technical pilot | Piloted, autonomous or hybrid depending on task |
| AgiBot humanoids | Multiple Chinese industrial customers claimed | Material handling and inspection | Production and deployment claims exist, but case-level hours and intervention data are limited | Deployment claim without sufficient evidence | Autonomy not disclosed |
| Unitree humanoids | Factory demonstrations and customer trials | Handling, inspection and demonstrations | Public videos and sales material do not establish a single audited recurring deployment in this review | Demonstration / insufficient evidence | Varies; often not disclosed |
A commercial deployment needs recurring work and a customer relationship
The strongest evidence combines a named customer, integrated workflow, recurring schedule and transaction. Figure’s BMW report includes runtime, part count, shift pattern and task KPIs. Agility’s GXO relationship is described as a multi-year Robots-as-a-Service deployment, and later company material adds broader operating hours across customer facilities. These disclosures still come from suppliers, but they contain enough operational detail to distinguish work from a trade-show demonstration.
A paid pilot can also be commercially meaningful without being a deployment. Apptronik and Mercedes-Benz explicitly frame Apollo as a pilot to explore parts delivery and inspection. Calling it a commercial agreement does not erase the pilot status. The robot is being evaluated before broad production use.
Generation and task changes reset the evidence
Figure 02’s BMW metrics cannot be copied onto Figure 03. The newer robot uses different hardware and a new logistics workflow. Figure 02 was retired after the program, so its 1,250 hours prove that generation and task. Figure 03 needs its own observation period, success metrics and intervention record.
The same rule applies when a company changes hands, end effectors, wheels, software or customer site. A model name alone is not a stable test condition. Every database row should preserve robot generation, date, task and location.
Chinese factory activity is broad but unevenly documented
UBTECH’s official industrial page names NIO, BYD, Geely/Zeekr, Dongfeng, FAW-Volkswagen, SANY RE and Foxconn-related workflows. The tasks are concrete: tote handling, quality inspection, fluid filling, emblem application, bolt sorting and parts feeding. This is stronger than an unnamed “automotive customer” claim.
The missing fields are equally important. Most cases do not publish fleet size, autonomous cycle count, intervention rate, daily schedule or commercial payment terms. They should be classified as technical pilots unless later documents establish recurring paid operations.
Internal tests are valuable but not customer deployments
Tesla can iterate Optimus inside its own factories without a sales contract. Internal use can generate real data and expose the robot to production constraints. It does not demonstrate external integration, service support, warranty or customer acceptance. An internal fleet should therefore remain a separate status even when the environment is a working factory.
Boston Dynamics is one step later with a named first customer and scheduled Atlas fleet. Until the robots ship and operating results appear, the case remains announced deployment rather than completed commercial work.
Autonomy must be attached to the exact task
A robot may autonomously walk between stations while a person teleoperates manipulation. Another may execute a learned policy while an operator approves each cycle. Sanctuary explicitly says its robots can run piloted, autonomous or hybrid modes. A deployment database should never assign one autonomy label to an entire company.
Useful records include the intervention trigger, remote-operator role, number of completed cycles and recovery behavior. Most announcements omit these fields. “Autonomy not disclosed” is more accurate than guessing from smooth video.
Limitations and missing information
- Most deployment metrics are supplier-reported and not independently audited.
- Customer confidentiality often hides robot count, contract value, intervention rate and shift performance.
- The word deployment is used inconsistently by companies, from a one-week pilot to recurring paid work.
- A named factory and task do not prove daily operation unless duration or schedule is published.
- The database is a verified snapshot dated July 11, 2026; programs can move between pilot and commercial status quickly.
Conclusion
Commercial humanoid work exists, but it is concentrated in a small number of bounded material-handling workflows. Figure 02 at BMW and Digit across Agility’s named customers provide the strongest public operating records. They show why early deployments focus on totes, parts and repetitive transport: objects, stations and cycle requirements can be defined, and a human workforce remains nearby.
Most other factory headlines belong in lower evidence categories. Apollo at Mercedes-Benz is a pilot. Atlas at Hyundai is scheduled. Tesla Optimus is an internal program. UBTECH has broad named factory trials but limited published fleet and shift data. Magna and Sanctuary describe a development partnership whose operating details remain incomplete. The practical rule is simple: keep announcements, memorandums, technical pilots and recurring commercial work in separate columns. A robot filmed inside a factory becomes a deployment only when the evidence shows what it did, where, for how long and under whose supervision.
Frequently asked questions
Are humanoid robots already working in factories?
Yes, but the verified work is narrow. Figure 02 loaded sheet-metal parts at BMW, and Agility Digit moves totes and materials for named customers. Many other programs remain pilots, internal tests or announced deployments. No evidence supports the claim that general humanoids broadly replace factory workers across unrestricted tasks.
Was Figure 02 commercially deployed at BMW?
Figure reports an 11-month BMW program with more than 1,250 runtime hours, 90,000 parts loaded and weekday 10-hour shifts. That is strong deployment evidence for Figure 02 on one sheet-metal loading task. The figures are company-reported, and they should not be transferred to Figure 03 or other tasks.
Is Agility Digit commercially deployed?
Agility identifies GXO, Schaeffler, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada and Mercado Libre as commercial customers and reports operations across nine facilities. GXO began as a multi-year Robots-as-a-Service agreement. Exact fleet size, customer-level hours and intervention data are not fully public, but the evidence is stronger than a standalone pilot announcement.
Does Amazon use humanoid robots?
Amazon has tested Agility Digit in logistics workflows, and Agility continues to name Amazon among its customers or partners. Public information does not provide a current broad fleet count or enough site-level evidence to classify Amazon as a large recurring commercial deployment. This database records it as a technical pilot.
Are UBTECH robots deployed at Chinese car factories?
UBTECH officially names trials or applications at NIO, BYD, Geely/Zeekr, Dongfeng and other sites. The tasks are specific, but public pages often omit robot count, daily operating schedule, intervention rate and payment terms. Most cases therefore qualify as technical pilots rather than proven recurring commercial deployments.
How can a factory deployment be verified?
Look for a named robot generation, customer, site, task, start date, duration, fleet size, schedule, autonomy mode and operating metric. A contract or customer statement strengthens the case. Edited video without those fields may show capability, but it cannot establish routine paid production work.
Sources and methodology
Each case was checked against official supplier or customer pages. Evidence was assigned to one of eight fixed statuses. Commercial deployment requires recurring work and a commercial relationship; a named pilot remains a pilot even when announced under a commercial agreement.
Verified July 11, 2026. Metrics remain company-reported unless the source identifies independent validation. Missing counts, contract values and autonomy data are stated explicitly.
- F.02 Contributed to the Production of 30,000 Cars at BMW — Figure AI · November 19, 2025
- Figure 03 at BMW — Figure AI · June 30, 2026
- Agility Robotics commercial record — Agility Robotics · June 24, 2026
- Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada agreement — Agility Robotics · February 19, 2026
- Mercado Libre commercial agreement — Agility Robotics · December 10, 2025
- Schaeffler investment and deployment agreement — Agility Robotics · November 13, 2024
- Apptronik and Mercedes-Benz commercial agreement — Apptronik · March 15, 2024
- Atlas industrial humanoid — Boston Dynamics · accessed July 11, 2026
- Enterprise Robotics, Redefined — Boston Dynamics · 2026
- UBTECH industrial application solution — UBTECH Robotics · accessed July 11, 2026
- Sanctuary AI and Magna development partnership — Sanctuary AI · 2024
- Sanctuary AI operation modes — Sanctuary AI · June 19, 2026
- Tesla AI and Robotics — Tesla · accessed July 11, 2026
Related TechniaHQ guides
Official image recommendations
- A verified factory deployment matrix using official photos from BMW, GXO, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai and UBTECH cases.
Humanoid robots working in automotive and logistics facilities with deployment-status labels — Official company media - Figure 02 loading sheet-metal parts at BMW Plant Spartanburg.
Figure 02 humanoid robot loading sheet metal at BMW Group Plant Spartanburg — Figure AI - Digit moving totes in a commercial logistics workflow.
Agility Robotics Digit carrying a tote in a logistics facility — Agility Robotics - Walker robot in a named Chinese automotive manufacturing task.
UBTECH Walker humanoid robot working at an automotive factory station — UBTECH Robotics - Evidence ladder from demonstration to commercial deployment.
Humanoid factory evidence ladder covering demo, internal test, pilot, partnership and commercial deployment — TechniaHQ original graphic
Fact-check report
Verified: July 11, 2026
Confirmed
- Figure 02 BMW metrics retain the exact generation and reported program duration.
- Agility’s commercial agreements are separated from pilots and scheduled deployments.
- UBTECH cases are classified conservatively where fleet and shift data are missing.
Not confirmed or incomplete
- Payment terms and robot counts remain private for most factory programs.
- AgiBot and Unitree recurring customer deployment claims lack sufficient case-level data in the reviewed primary pages.
- Tesla’s current internal fleet size and intervention rate are not public.
Fast-changing information
- Pilots may convert to commercial contracts and scheduled 2026 Atlas shipments may gain operating evidence.