Automotive Robotics Market Size and Outlook 2031

Report Description

Forecast Period	2027-2031
Market Size (2025)	USD 10.31 Billion
CAGR (2026-2031)	11.01%
Fastest Growing Segment	Articulated Robots
Largest Market	Asia Pacific
Market Size (2031)	USD 19.29 Billion

Market Overview

The Global Automotive Robotics Market will grow from USD 10.31 Billion in 2025 to USD 19.29 Billion by 2031 at a 11.01% CAGR. The Global Automotive Robotics Market consists of autonomous and partially autonomous machinery deployed to execute complex manufacturing tasks such as assembly, welding, painting, and material handling. This sector is primarily driven by the rapid industry transition toward electric vehicles which necessitates new production infrastructures and the persistent shortage of skilled labor that compels manufacturers to accelerate automation. Furthermore, the requirement for high precision to meet stringent safety and quality standards further supports the adoption of these technologies.

A significant challenge impeding market expansion is the high initial capital expenditure required for system integration and maintenance which can be prohibitive for smaller manufacturers. According to the International Federation of Robotics, in 2024, global industrial robot installations reached 542,000 units with the automotive sector remaining a leading source of demand. This financial barrier often delays implementation in emerging markets and limits the speed of adoption among lower volume producers.

Key Market Drivers

Accelerated Transition to Electric Vehicle Manufacturing is fundamentally reshaping production lines, necessitating advanced robotic solutions for battery assembly and lightweight material handling. As traditional internal combustion engines are replaced by complex battery systems, manufacturers are compelled to deploy high-precision automated units to manage heavy payloads and hazardous materials. This shift is driving significant capital investment as major producers re-tool existing facilities to accommodate new energy vehicle platforms and ramp up capacity. According to the Association for Advancing Automation, October 2024, in the 'Robot Orders Down 8% in First Half of 2024' report, orders from North American automotive original equipment manufacturers increased by 14.4% in the first half of the year compared to 2023. This surge in procurement underscores the critical role of automation in scaling manufacturing operations to meet tightening global emission regulations and aggressive consumer delivery targets.

Mitigation of Skilled Labor Shortages and Rising Wage Costs remains a persistent catalyst for the adoption of autonomous manufacturing systems. The widening gap between the retiring industrial workforce and the influx of new technical talent has forced automotive companies to substitute manual labor with automated alternatives to maintain continuity and protect margins. According to Automotive Manufacturing Solutions, January 2024, in the 'AMS & ABB Automotive Manufacturing Outlook Survey 2023', 36% of industry experts identified rising labor costs and skills shortages as the most significant challenge facing the sector. Consequently, facilities are increasing their reliance on automation not only to fill vacancies but to standardize output quality across global operations. According to the International Federation of Robotics, September 2024, the global average robot density in the manufacturing industry reached a record 162 units per 10,000 employees in 2023, reflecting this deepened integration of machinery into the industrial workforce.

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Key Market Challenges

The high initial capital expenditure required for system integration and maintenance constitutes a substantial impediment to the growth of the Global Automotive Robotics Market. This financial burden extends beyond the mere purchase of hardware to include complex software programming, safety compliance, and ongoing operational costs. Consequently, small and medium-sized enterprises often struggle to justify the immediate return on investment, leading to significant hesitation in automating production lines compared to major OEMs with deeper capital reserves.

This cost-prohibitive environment directly correlates with market contractions during periods of economic uncertainty. The inability of lower-volume producers to absorb these expenses slows the overall proliferation of advanced robotics, particularly when capital budgets are tightened. For instance, according to the Association for Advancing Automation, in 2024, robot orders from the automotive sector in North America declined by 15% compared to the previous year. This downturn illustrates how financial constraints and the high cost of implementation can rapidly decelerate market momentum, effectively capping growth potential in segments where liquidity is restricted.

Key Market Trends

Widespread Adoption of Collaborative Robots (Cobots) in Final Assembly is revolutionizing the production floor by dismantling traditional safety barriers and enabling direct human-machine interaction. Unlike heavy-payload counterparts restricted to isolated cells, these lightweight units utilize advanced force-limiting sensors to work alongside operators on intricate tasks such as trim installation and quality inspection. This shift allows manufacturers to combine human dexterity with robotic precision, effectively addressing ergonomic strain without completely displacing the workforce. According to the International Federation of Robotics, December 2024, in the 'Collaborative Robots - How Robots Work alongside Humans' position paper, cobots have achieved a market share of 10.5% of all industrial robots installed worldwide, reflecting their growing critical role in flexible manufacturing environments.

Integration of Artificial Intelligence for Real-Time Adaptive Manufacturing is fundamentally altering the operational scope of automotive robotics by shifting from rigid, pre-programmed instruction to autonomous decision-making. Through machine learning algorithms and advanced vision systems, robots can now detect variations in component quality, optimize trajectory paths in real-time, and predict mechanical failures before they occur. This capability is essential for managing the increasing complexity of mixed-model assembly lines where customization is key. According to Universal Robots, November 2024, in the 'Survey Insights: How Manufacturers are Embracing Technology in 2024' report, 56% of manufacturers identified artificial intelligence and machine learning as the technologies possessing the highest potential to fuel future business growth.

Segmental Insights

The articulated robots segment is rapidly emerging as the fastest-growing category within the global automotive robotics market due to its extensive range of motion and operational flexibility. These units are essential for executing complex manufacturing tasks such as welding, painting, and precision assembly, as their rotary joints effectively replicate human arm movements. The ongoing industry shift toward electric vehicle production further propels this demand, compelling manufacturers to adopt adaptable automation solutions capable of handling diverse vehicle architectures. Consequently, automotive facilities prioritize these robots to enhance line efficiency and maintain consistent quality standards.

Regional Insights

Asia Pacific leads the Global Automotive Robotics Market, driven by the extensive vehicle manufacturing infrastructure in China, Japan, and South Korea. Manufacturers in these nations are increasingly automating assembly lines to mitigate rising labor costs and ensure the precision required for electric vehicle production. This operational shift is reinforced by strategic public policies, such as the industrial modernization initiatives promoted by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Consequently, the combination of high manufacturing output, technological transition, and strong government support establishes the region as the primary hub for automotive automation.

Recent Developments

In May 2024, ABB expanded its portfolio of industrial automation solutions by launching the IRB 7710 and IRB 7720 robot arms during the Automate trade show. These new modular large robots were specifically engineered to support automotive manufacturing applications, including electric vehicle battery construction, body-in-white processes, and final assembly. The robots offered an expanded choice of variants with payload capacities ranging from 70 kilograms to 620 kilograms, providing greater flexibility for manufacturers. This product launch was designed to address the industry's need for high-speed, precise heavy lifting and assembly capabilities, helping automotive companies navigate labor shortages and improve production sustainability.
In May 2024, UBTech Technology signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Dongfeng Liuzhou Motor to deploy the Walker S industrial-grade humanoid robot into the automaker's assembly lines in China. The partnership established plans for the robot to perform a variety of quality control and assembly tasks, such as inspecting seat belts and door locks, checking body quality, filling oil, and applying labels. The collaboration aimed to integrate the humanoid robot with traditional automated equipment to handle complex scenarios in unmanned production. This deployment highlighted the growing trend of utilizing advanced AI-driven humanoid robotics to enhance smart manufacturing capabilities in the electric vehicle sector.
In March 2024, Apptronik announced a collaborative agreement with Mercedes-Benz to pilot the Apollo humanoid robot within the automotive manufacturer's production facilities. This partnership focused on validating the potential of advanced robotics to alleviate low-skill, physically demanding, and repetitive manual labor such as delivering assembly kits to workers and inspecting components. Mercedes-Benz intended to use the humanoid robot to automate logistics and material handling tasks, optimizing efficiency without requiring a full redesign of the manufacturing space. The initiative represented a significant step in exploring how general-purpose robots could operate alongside human staff in an industrial factory setting.
In January 2024, Figure, an artificial intelligence and robotics company, entered into a commercial agreement with BMW Manufacturing to deploy general-purpose humanoid robots at the automaker's facility in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Under this partnership, the companies agreed to pursue a milestone-based approach, starting with the identification of initial use cases for the robots in automotive production environments. The collaboration aimed to integrate the humanoid robots into manufacturing processes to automate difficult, unsafe, or tedious tasks, thereby allowing human employees to focus on higher-skilled activities. The robots were slated for staged deployment in areas such as the body shop, sheet metal, and warehouse sections.

Key Market Players

ABB Ltd.
KUKA Robotics Corporation
FANUC Corporation
Honda Motor Co. Ltd
RobCo S.W.A.T Ltd.
Omron Adept Technologies, Inc
Kawasaki Robotics, Inc.
Nachi-Fujikoshi Corporation
Yaskawa Electric Corporation
Harmonic Drive System Inc.

By Component	By Application	By Region
Controllers Robotic Arm End Effector Automotive Robotic Sensor Automotive Robotics Drive	Welding Painting Cutting Material Handling Others	North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East & Africa

Report Scope:

In this report, the Global Automotive Robotics Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below:

Automotive Robotics Market, By Component:

Controllers
Robotic Arm
End Effector
Automotive Robotic Sensor
Automotive Robotics Drive

Automotive Robotics Market, By Application:

Welding
Painting
Cutting
Material Handling
Others

Automotive Robotics Market, By Region:

North America

United States
Canada
Mexico

Europe

France
United Kingdom
Italy
Germany
Spain

Asia Pacific

China
India
Japan
Australia
South Korea

South America

Brazil
Argentina
Colombia

Middle East & Africa

South Africa
Saudi Arabia
UAE

Competitive Landscape

Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies present in the Global Automotive Robotics Market.

Available Customizations:

Global Automotive Robotics Market report with the given market data, TechSci Research offers customizations according to a company's specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report:

Company Information

Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (up to five).

Global Automotive Robotics Market is an upcoming report to be released soon. If you wish an early delivery of this report or want to confirm the date of release, please contact us at [email protected]

Table of content

1. Product Overview

1.1. Market Definition

1.2. Scope of the Market

1.2.1. Markets Covered

1.2.2. Years Considered for Study

1.2.3. Key Market Segmentations

2. Research Methodology

2.1. Objective of the Study

2.2. Baseline Methodology

2.3. Key Industry Partners

2.4. Major Association and Secondary Sources

2.5. Forecasting Methodology

2.6. Data Triangulation & Validation

2.7. Assumptions and Limitations

3. Executive Summary

3.1. Overview of the Market

3.2. Overview of Key Market Segmentations

3.3. Overview of Key Market Players

3.4. Overview of Key Regions/Countries

3.5. Overview of Market Drivers, Challenges, Trends

4. Voice of Customer

5. Global Automotive Robotics Market Outlook

5.1. Market Size & Forecast

5.1.1. By Value

5.2. Market Share & Forecast

5.2.1. By Component (Controllers, Robotic Arm, End Effector, Automotive Robotic Sensor, Automotive Robotics Drive)

5.2.2. By Application (Welding, Painting, Cutting, Material Handling, Others)

5.2.3. By Region

5.2.4. By Company (2025)

5.3. Market Map

6. North America Automotive Robotics Market Outlook

6.1. Market Size & Forecast

6.1.1. By Value

6.2. Market Share & Forecast

6.2.1. By Component

6.2.2. By Application

6.2.3. By Country

6.3. North America: Country Analysis

6.3.1. United States Automotive Robotics Market Outlook

6.3.1.1. Market Size & Forecast

6.3.1.1.1. By Value

6.3.1.2. Market Share & Forecast

6.3.1.2.1. By Component

6.3.1.2.2. By Application

6.3.2. Canada Automotive Robotics Market Outlook

6.3.2.1. Market Size & Forecast

6.3.2.1.1. By Value

6.3.2.2. Market Share & Forecast

6.3.2.2.1. By Component

6.3.2.2.2. By Application

6.3.3. Mexico Automotive Robotics Market Outlook

6.3.3.1. Market Size & Forecast

6.3.3.1.1. By Value

6.3.3.2. Market Share & Forecast

6.3.3.2.1. By Component

6.3.3.2.2. By Application

7. Europe Automotive Robotics Market Outlook

7.1. Market Size & Forecast

7.1.1. By Value

7.2. Market Share & Forecast

7.2.1. By Component

7.2.2. By Application

7.2.3. By Country

7.3. Europe: Country Analysis

7.3.1. Germany Automotive Robotics Market Outlook

7.3.1.1. Market Size & Forecast

7.3.1.1.1. By Value

7.3.1.2. Market Share & Forecast

7.3.1.2.1. By Component

7.3.1.2.2. By Application

7.3.2. France Automotive Robotics Market Outlook

7.3.2.1. Market Size & Forecast

7.3.2.1.1. By Value

7.3.2.2. Market Share & Forecast

7.3.2.2.1. By Component

7.3.2.2.2. By Application

7.3.3. United Kingdom Automotive Robotics Market Outlook

7.3.3.1. Market Size & Forecast

7.3.3.1.1. By Value

7.3.3.2. Market Share & Forecast

7.3.3.2.1. By Component

7.3.3.2.2. By Application

7.3.4. Italy Automotive Robotics Market Outlook

7.3.4.1. Market Size & Forecast

7.3.4.1.1. By Value

7.3.4.2. Market Share & Forecast

7.3.4.2.1. By Component

7.3.4.2.2. By Application

7.3.5. Spain Automotive Robotics Market Outlook

7.3.5.1. Market Size & Forecast

7.3.5.1.1. By Value

7.3.5.2. Market Share & Forecast

7.3.5.2.1. By Component

7.3.5.2.2. By Application

8. Asia Pacific Automotive Robotics Market Outlook

8.1. Market Size & Forecast

8.1.1. By Value

8.2. Market Share & Forecast

8.2.1. By Component

8.2.2. By Application

8.2.3. By Country

8.3. Asia Pacific: Country Analysis

8.3.1. China Automotive Robotics Market Outlook

8.3.1.1. Market Size & Forecast

8.3.1.1.1. By Value

8.3.1.2. Market Share & Forecast

8.3.1.2.1. By Component

8.3.1.2.2. By Application

8.3.2. India Automotive Robotics Market Outlook

8.3.2.1. Market Size & Forecast

8.3.2.1.1. By Value

8.3.2.2. Market Share & Forecast

8.3.2.2.1. By Component

8.3.2.2.2. By Application

8.3.3. Japan Automotive Robotics Market Outlook

8.3.3.1. Market Size & Forecast

8.3.3.1.1. By Value

8.3.3.2. Market Share & Forecast

8.3.3.2.1. By Component

8.3.3.2.2. By Application

8.3.4. South Korea Automotive Robotics Market Outlook

8.3.4.1. Market Size & Forecast

8.3.4.1.1. By Value

8.3.4.2. Market Share & Forecast

8.3.4.2.1. By Component

8.3.4.2.2. By Application

8.3.5. Australia Automotive Robotics Market Outlook

8.3.5.1. Market Size & Forecast

8.3.5.1.1. By Value

8.3.5.2. Market Share & Forecast

8.3.5.2.1. By Component

8.3.5.2.2. By Application

9. Middle East & Africa Automotive Robotics Market Outlook

9.1. Market Size & Forecast

9.1.1. By Value

9.2. Market Share & Forecast

9.2.1. By Component

9.2.2. By Application

9.2.3. By Country

9.3. Middle East & Africa: Country Analysis

9.3.1. Saudi Arabia Automotive Robotics Market Outlook

9.3.1.1. Market Size & Forecast

9.3.1.1.1. By Value

9.3.1.2. Market Share & Forecast

9.3.1.2.1. By Component

9.3.1.2.2. By Application

9.3.2. UAE Automotive Robotics Market Outlook

9.3.2.1. Market Size & Forecast

9.3.2.1.1. By Value

9.3.2.2. Market Share & Forecast

9.3.2.2.1. By Component

9.3.2.2.2. By Application

9.3.3. South Africa Automotive Robotics Market Outlook

9.3.3.1. Market Size & Forecast

9.3.3.1.1. By Value

9.3.3.2. Market Share & Forecast

9.3.3.2.1. By Component

9.3.3.2.2. By Application

10. South America Automotive Robotics Market Outlook

10.1. Market Size & Forecast

10.1.1. By Value

10.2. Market Share & Forecast

10.2.1. By Component

10.2.2. By Application

10.2.3. By Country

10.3. South America: Country Analysis

10.3.1. Brazil Automotive Robotics Market Outlook

10.3.1.1. Market Size & Forecast

10.3.1.1.1. By Value

10.3.1.2. Market Share & Forecast

10.3.1.2.1. By Component

10.3.1.2.2. By Application

10.3.2. Colombia Automotive Robotics Market Outlook

10.3.2.1. Market Size & Forecast

10.3.2.1.1. By Value

10.3.2.2. Market Share & Forecast

10.3.2.2.1. By Component

10.3.2.2.2. By Application

10.3.3. Argentina Automotive Robotics Market Outlook

10.3.3.1. Market Size & Forecast

10.3.3.1.1. By Value

10.3.3.2. Market Share & Forecast

10.3.3.2.1. By Component

10.3.3.2.2. By Application

11. Market Dynamics

11.1. Drivers

11.2. Challenges

12. Market Trends & Developments

12.1. Merger & Acquisition (If Any)

12.2. Product Launches (If Any)

12.3. Recent Developments

13. Global Automotive Robotics Market: SWOT Analysis

14. Porter's Five Forces Analysis

14.1. Competition in the Industry

14.2. Potential of New Entrants

14.3. Power of Suppliers

14.4. Power of Customers

14.5. Threat of Substitute Products

15. Competitive Landscape

15.1. ABB Ltd.

15.1.1. Business Overview

15.1.2. Products & Services

15.1.3. Recent Developments

15.1.4. Key Personnel

15.1.5. SWOT Analysis

15.2. KUKA Robotics Corporation

15.3. FANUC Corporation

15.4. Honda Motor Co. Ltd

15.5. RobCo S.W.A.T Ltd.

15.6. Omron Adept Technologies, Inc

15.7. Kawasaki Robotics, Inc.

15.8. Nachi-Fujikoshi Corporation

15.9. Yaskawa Electric Corporation

15.10. Harmonic Drive System Inc.

16. Strategic Recommendations

17. About Us & Disclaimer

Report Description

Table of content

Figures and Tables

Frequently asked questions

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