Faced with rising raw material costs from tariffs, labor shortages, and increasing operational pressures, the automotive and material-handling industries are turning to collaborative robots (cobots) as a flexible, cost-saving solution to boost efficiency, reduce downtime, and remain competitive in a rapidly evolving manufacturing landscape.

The article highlights the rapid growth of the humanoid robot market through 2035, emphasizing a projected $10 billion opportunity in sensory components, especially tactile sensors, LiDAR, and cameras, as demand for dexterous and spatially aware robots increases

Webinar Title: Humanoid Robots: Early Adopters, Technologies, Challenges and Outlook Date: Tuesday 3 June 2025 Presenter: Yulin Wang, Senior Technology Analyst, IDTechEx

Self-healing materials have the ability to extend the lifespan of mission critical components such as energy storage devices, sensors and soft robotics. This article looks at some of the key materials developments, pain points and potential growth opportunities for self-healing materials in these emerging markets.

Humanoid and collaborative robots are two growing robotics technologies explored by IDTechEx in their portfolio of Robotics & Autonomy Research Reports. Senior Technology Analyst, Yulin Wang, will be speaking at the 2025 Humanoids Summit, covering details explored in depth in the IDTechEx report, "Humanoid Robots 2025-2035: Technologies, Markets and Opportunities".

Showcased by the surprise of surrounding workers, the unexpected actions of a humanoid robot in China demonstrates that this robotics application is still operating in early stages. However, despite being an immature technology, there is still much scope for success for humanoids.

Cars that wirelessly charge on the move, AI assistants to schedule in-vehicle meetings, and radar technology for advancing safety all boast the growing intelligence of automotive technologies. IDTechEx's portfolio of Electric Vehicles and Robotics & Autonomy market research reports showcase the latest technologies bringing an engaging and forward-thinking future of driving into reality.

By 2025, major automotive players such as Tesla and BYD are set to scale humanoid robot deployment over 10x, paving the way for a projected 1.6 million units in use across the industry by 2035, according to IDTechEx. While current unit costs exceed US$100,000, prices are forecast to drop to US$20,000, driving broader adoption in both the automotive and logistics sectors.

Collaborative robots (cobots) are reshaping automotive manufacturing by enabling safe, flexible, and efficient human-robot collaboration across tasks like assembly, screwing, and polishing, thanks to advanced force sensing, AI-driven vision, and intuitive programming. As electric vehicle production grows and factories seek greater agility, cobots offer a scalable solution, with their market projected to expand significantly through 2045.

With the introduction of collaborative robots and AI agents, household chores could also become a display of the latest intelligent robotics technology. From companionship robots that engage in conversation and play board games to cars that drive themselves safely using radar and artificial intelligence, the possibilities for robotics are endless.

Thursday 17 April 2025; Self-Healing Materials: Commercial Success or Academic Novelty? An introduction to self-healing materials and mechanisms; Materials science considerations for self-healing materials; Assessment of the applications driving self-healing materials R&D and the likelihood of commercial success

The automotive industry is often an early adopter of luxury products, where both the increased performance and convenience are selling points to consumers. Self-healing materials can be used in a range of automotive applications, including tires, paints, and coatings. Use cases even extend to asphalt road surfaces, where damage can lead to issues for vehicles and drivers.

A free collection of insights from our industry experts, sharing some of the key technology innovation trends shaping the next decade.

Robotaxis are proving they can offer driverless services in certain cities, as a means of accessible and modern public transport. In 2023, IDTechEx reports that 9 million registered autonomous vehicle miles were logged across the state. Key leaders in this commercial autonomous vehicle and robotaxi space are Waymo, having submitted half of all the miles recorded in California to date, and Cruise, which, although accounted for 30% of these miles, has recently been shut down.

Sensor technology comes in many shapes and sizes, designed to measure a wide range of metrics for a host of different applications. There are sensors to collect data from almost all physical parameters: motion, magnetic field, current, temperature, force-light intensity - the list goes on. These miniaturized components are everywhere, from our smart-phones and home appliances to within cars, factories, and satellites.

Industrial Internet of Things sensor technology (IIoT) seeks to enable greater industrial automation, improved worker safety, and streamlined maintenance planning. From cameras, LiDAR, and radar for machine vision in robotics, to skin patches and miniaturized gas sensors in smart personal protection equipment, emerging IIoT applications present growth opportunities for a variety of sensor technologies.

Monday 9 December 2024 - Commercializing Autonomous Vehicles: Robotaxis, Robobuses and Robotrucks; Case studies of key robotaxi players and their deployments; Analysis of robotaxi testing, performance, and deployments; Outlook of how the robotaxi industry will grow and scale in coming years; Market outlook of key Roboshuttles, Autonomous Buses and Autonomous Truck players and their deployments; Analysis of Autonomous Truck TCO in different regions; Outlook of how the Roboshuttles, Autonomous Buses industry will grow and scale in coming years

The development of autonomous buses and roboshuttles is likely to continue somewhat slowly due to a lack of funding and regulatory challenges. However, IDTechEx highlights the next stages of developments within their report, and with the already commercialized examples of autonomous city buses and minibusses, success in the industry is increasingly likely.

Over the past couple of years, IDTechEx has reported on the emergence of commercial robotaxi services but has always needed to caveat this with the fact that they have been heavily restricted. Well, in 2024, the shackles are coming off, and the industry is getting ready for take-off.

Friday 22 November 2024 - Mobile Robotics: Emerging applications, challenges, innovative solutions, and the latest market developments; Service Robots: Different applications experience different growth rate; Collaborative Robots: Technologies and industrial news; Sensors for Robotics: An analysis of key sensors