UBTech and Zeekr unite with AI robot swarms to make car manufacturing faster and smarter. Tech expert Kurt Knutsson explains how the process works. The automotive industry is undergoing a seismic shift driven by the integration of AI-powered humanoid robots into production lines. UBTech Robotics, in collaboration with Zeekr, has pioneered a groundbreaking initiative where swarm robots work together to build cars faster and more efficiently than ever before. But is this technological advancement a leap toward innovation or a step closer to human replacement?

Exoskeletons have been largely confined to the realm of fiction, appearing in sci-fi or superhero movies to make characters stronger, taller, or more destructive (in James Cameron's Avatar, the somewhat terrifying AMP suit serves as an "amplifier of a human operator," but is really more like a humanoid war machine with a real human inside). In terms of real-world uses, exoskeletons have been tested or developed in industries like car manufacturing, air travel, the military, and healthcare; these are mostly to help people lift heavy objects and materials. "This exoskeleton personalizes assistance as people walk normally through the real world," said Steve Collins, associate professor of mechanical engineering who leads the Stanford Biomechatronics Laboratory, in a press release. When a new person puts on the boot, the algorithm tests a different pattern of assistance each time they walk, measuring how their movements change in response. "I believe that over the next decade we'll see these ideas of personalizing assistance and effective portable exoskeletons help many people overcome mobility challenges or maintain their ability to live active, independent, and meaningful lives," study author and bioengineering researcher Patrick Slade said in the press release.

The auto industry has had a challenging couple of years. Demand is shifting, key components have been hard to get and workers are leaving the sector. Thankfully, AI in car manufacturing could provide a solution to all of these problems. AI has been steadily rising in manufacturing -- and after recent disruptions, it'll likely grow even faster. Here's a look at some of the ways this technology is improving auto manufacturing today and tomorrow.

The U.K. automotive industry has been a pinnacle of excellence over the last century. However, during the last few decades, sectoral shifts and an evolving competitive landscape have adversely affected the industry, with the pandemic further aggravating these challenges by throwing the demand-supply equilibrium into disarray. The recent and historic fall in car manufacturing in July – which saw production fall to its lowest level since 1956 - is a combination of factors. In an industry as resource intensive as car manufacturing, the success of every manufacturer hinges on how well they navigate both local and global market challenges, such as staffing and material shortages. On one hand, the'pingdemic' has meant that carmakers have had to deal with unexpected staff shortages at a local level. More globally, the rising prominence of semiconductors in today's tech-powered products have meant that if manufacturers can't cope with an ongoing microchip shortage, production often comes to a grinding halt.