The robot works in a pure white Chinese factory to assemble global bestselling EVs. What does this mean for the American automotive industry?
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- China has invested heavily in fully automated manufacturing plants for products such as smartphones, cars and more.
- Several American companies have already integrated AI and robotics into their production workflows.
- China’s “dark factories” can set new standards for vehicle production around the world.
As we know, automation is changing the automotive industry. The Automotive Division is “the number one adopter of industrial robots,” according to a 2024 article on the rise of robotics from IBM.
Modern automobile assembly lines have evolved. New developments in Chinese vehicle manufacturing can become horrifying for workers in the American automotive industry as automation becomes central. Is a fully automated car factory the future of American car production?
What are “dark factories” in China and how do they work?
“Dark Factory” or “light-out factories” are factories that rely heavily on robotics and artificial intelligence systems, and require little human interaction or input for their functions, says tech company Siemens. These factories can perform assembly tasks normally performed by human workers before these advanced robotic systems emerge.
According to the New York Times, Chinese electric car maker Zeekr has 820 robots in its manufacturing facility, with more planned. China currently has more manufacturing robots per 10,000 workers than the United States. The goal of these automated factories is to reduce manufacturing costs while improving quality. These factory robots can operate 24 hours a day without lighting.
What China’s “dark factories” means to the US
AI can affect most industries, and the automotive sector is no exception. Robots and AI are nothing new to the assembly line. China’s fully automated factories can also be used to all-in automation for American automakers and foreign automakers with plants in US soil. The industry is already upset by the impact of car tariffs, and automakers are pivoting their production strategies.
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According to Forbes’ 2024 work on automotive industry jobs, the production of the vehicle employed 308,000 workers last year. These jobs have risen in terms of growth since 2009 (except for a short period during the Covid-19 global pandemic). Increased automation can hinder its consistent growth.
Thankfully, the American auto industry, for better or worse, does not always follow the global trends in car production. China is much faster to adopt electric vehicles than the US, with the majority of the country’s total vehicles being electricity. China’s automation strategy may not be imitated by the US, but it is a disastrous possibility as more companies incorporate artificial intelligence and robots into their vehicle production and products.
Are there fully automated automobile factories in the US?
While no companies are investing in manufacturing plants entirely automatically, there are plenty of examples of pushes to increase automation from companies like Tesla and Hyundai. Tesla has made advances in the field of robotics with the development of the Optimus Bot and the use of robotics and AI at Gigafactory. Metaplant America in Hyundai, Georgia, features “over 850 robots and 300 automated guided vehicles,” says the Korean company.
While America may not have completely autonomous factories, automakers use AI and robotics to streamline the production process for their vehicles. If American automotive factories get dark, advances in automation can negatively affect thousands of American auto workers.
