Humanoid robot GoMate to work in Chinese automotive company
The Chinese car manufacturer GAC is developing a humanoid robot to work in its own company.
The GoMate robot at its presentation.
(Image: GAC)
The state-owned Chinese automotive company Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC) has completed the third generation of its self-developed humanoid robot GoMate for use in automotive production. By 2026, GoMate will be ready to work semi-autonomously in the company's vehicle production.
GoMate is not a classic humanoid robot, as it has two or four wheels instead of feet. However, the robot does have movable legs. This offers several advantages: GoMate can move faster on flat factory premises, but can still overcome obstacles such as stairs. In addition, rolling locomotion is more energy-efficient. To achieve this, the robot uses an autonomous driving algorithm that allows it to plan its own movements. GoMate uses systems designed to detect obstacles and changes in the environment at a distance of 30 meters.
Locomotion with wheels
On two wheels, GoMate is around 174 cm tall; equipped with four wheels, it is only around 137 cm tall. The robot has a total of 38 degrees of freedom. GAC has designed the hands with five movable fingers in such a way that they offer a compromise between flexibility and resilience. Motors developed in-house are used in the joints. This enables lower energy consumption. GAC is going out on a limb here and is talking about around 80 percent lower energy consumption than comparable robots.
A solid-state battery with undisclosed performance data is used as the energy source. It should keep the robot in operation for up to six hours at a time. This should be sufficient for continuous use of the robot in industry, but also for possible exploration tasks.
GoMate should be able to complete tasks autonomously using artificial intelligence. The humanoid robot collects data and optimizes itself so that it can constantly improve its capabilities.
Intelligent tool
GAC describes GoMate as an intelligent tool. The robot can be used in various areas – including security, logistics, healthcare and education. However, the automotive company is initially planning to use it in its own vehicle production. This is to take place from 2026 in the production lines of its two own car brands GAC Trumpchi and GAC Aion.
To this end, GoMate is to be mass-produced on a small scale in 2026, with robot production to be scaled up at a later date. The aim is to mass-produce the robot.
The robotics company Figure AI is already one step ahead. In 2024, it tested its Figure 02 robot in vehicle production together with car manufacturer BMW and announced that it had found a first buyer for its robots who wants to use them commercially.
(olb)