CARS built by “humanoid robots” fitted with AI and remote control cabalities could be just months from hitting our roads, experts have predicted.
GoMate, claimed to be the first robot of its kind to use either two or four wheels to self-balance and drive, has been unveiled at an automobile show in China.
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The robot, created by the state-owned Guangzhou Automobile Group Co. (GAC), has 38 degrees of freedom.
This refers to a robot with a very high level of dexterity and flexibility, capable of performing complex movements and tasks.
The term “degrees of freedom” refers to the robot’s 38 independent axes of motion, which allow it to move and manipulate objects in a wide range of ways.
GoMate can adjust to different environments, climb stairs and ramps, and navigate obstacles.
The robot, expected to be deployed in car manufacturing beginning in 2026, was showcased at a December 26 event in Shanghai.
In its four-wheeled mode, GoMate is 4.5 feet tall, while it can also stand up on two wheels at 5.7 feet, taking up less room.
By incorporating GAC’s autonomous driving algorithm, GoMate can plan its own movements both inside and outside while moving deliberately and accurately.
It can also detect and perceive changes in obstacles up to 328 feet away.
Other skills offered by the robot include its dexterous, humanoid hands, which allow it to carry heavy loads.
The robots can be controlled using VR headsets and 3D-GS scene reconstruction.
Each GoMate is powered by GAC Group’s all-solid-state battery with a six-hour runtime.
Limited production of the robot will begin in 2026, with the end goal of large-scale mass production.
It is believed that the robots could be used in a number of different fields in the future, including education, healthcare, and security.
The use of humanoid robots in car manufacturing has been stepped up in recent years.
How do autonomous cars work?
Autonomous cars use sensors, algorithms, machine learning systems, and powerful processors.
Using sensors in different parts of the car, they can create and maintain a map of the area around them.
Radar sensors are used to keep track of the positions of other cars.
Video cameras can detect traffic lights, read road signs, track other cars, and look out for pedestrians.
Sophisticated software processes all of this information and plots a path for the car to follow, sending instructions to the car’s actuators, which control acceleration, braking, and steering.
Hard-coded rules and object recognition help the software follow traffic rules and avoid obstacles.
Source: Synopsys
Elon Musk’s Tesla Optimus robots were also unveiled this year.
They are designed to carry out a variety of industrial and domestic uses, even including helping out with household chores.
“Tesla Bots are initially positioned to replace people in repetitive, boring, and dangerous tasks,” Musk has said.
“But the vision is for them to serve millions of households, such as cooking, mowing lawns, and caring for the elderly.”
Other automakers are also looking to bring in humanoid robots at the production level.
In January, BMW confirmed that California-based robotics company Figure would be supplying robots to its plant in South Carolina.
