The changing face of the automotive robotics industry

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to provide an insight into recent technological developments and applications that are driving growth and change in the automotive robotics sector. Design/methodology/approach Following a short introduction which provides a commercial perspective, this study discusses the role of collaborative robots and provides examples of applications. It then considers robotic three-dimensional (3D) printing and artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled robots. This is followed by a discussion of the impact of the burgeoning electric vehicle sector. Finally, brief conclusions are drawn. Findings This study shows that the automotive robotics sector is growing more rapidly than vehicle production volumes due to factors which include the move to vehicle electrification, the growing use of cobots, 3D printing, which is moving from specialist and low volume to high volume component production, and the advent of AI-enabled robots. Originality/value This study provides details of the factors driving the automotive robotics market by discussing a selection of emerging applications and developments.