The automotive industry is a leader in automation:
According to a report from the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) in Frankfurt on March 22, 2023, the automotive industry has the highest number of robots used in factories worldwide, setting a new record of approximately 1 million units. This accounts for approximately one-third of the total number of installations in all industries.
It is the automotive industry that effectively invented automated manufacturing, "said Marina Bill, President of the International Federation of Robotics. Nowadays, robots play a crucial role in driving the industry's transition from internal combustion engines to electrification. Robot automation effectively helps automakers cope with this transformation and the significant changes brought about by the long-standing manufacturing models and technologies.
The density of robots in the automotive industry:
Robot density is a key indicator reflecting the current level of automation in the world's leading automotive production economy: in South Korea, in 2021, 2867 industrial robots were operating per 10000 employees. Germany ranks second with 1500 units, followed by the United States with 1457 units per 10000 workers, and Japan with 1422 units.
The density of robots in China, the world's largest automaker, is 772, but it is rapidly catching up: in 2021, the number of newly installed robots in the Chinese automotive industry almost doubled within a year, reaching 61598, accounting for 52% of the total number of robot installations in factories around the world of 119405.
Electric Vehicle Drive Automation:
Ambitious political goals for electric vehicles are forcing investment in the automotive industry: the European Union has announced plans to stop selling polluting cars by 2035. The US government plans to achieve a voluntary target of 50% market share for electric vehicle sales by 2030. By 2035, all new cars sold in China must be powered by "new energy". Half of them must be electric, fuel cell, or plug-in hybrid vehicles, and the remaining half must be hybrid vehicles.
Most car manufacturers that have already invested in traditional "cage" industrial robots for assembly and other purposes are also investing in collaborative robot applications for final assembly and precision machining tasks. Secondary automotive component suppliers, many of whom are small and medium-sized enterprises, have a slower pace of achieving comprehensive automation. However, as robots become smaller, more adaptable, easier to program, and less capital intensive, this situation is expected to change.