Kepler Humanoid Robots at SAIC-GM Factory

Kepler's AI-powered humanoid robots have begun real-world testing at the SAIC-GM automotive plant in Shanghai.

The Shanghai General Motors factory, a joint venture between SAIC Motor and GM, manufactures Buick, Chevrolet, and Cadillac vehicles for the Chinese and select international markets. The Jinqiao complex comprises multiple facilities, including its North and South plants and a dedicated Cadillac factory that together can produce nearly 500,000 vehicles annually.

Shanghai-based Kepler shared footage of two of its K2 Forerunner humanoid robots working at one of the facilities. They perform quality checks, lift heavy parts together, grasp oddly shaped items, autonomously load stamped parts, and handle tools with their dexterous hands.

Kepler is scaling production of the humanoids, aiming for prices between $20K and $30K. According to the startup, the robots have 52 degrees of freedom (DoF) and can carry 15 kg (33 lbs) in each hand. With 8 hours of battery life, the robots are geared toward industrial tasks like intelligent manufacturing, logistics, and high-risk operations.