BEIJING — It was not even close as a bright red Chinese humanoid named “Lightning” lived up to its name in a half-marathon pitting humans against robots, smoking its competition on Sunday

American defense strategy is entering a new era driven by advanced technology, as the Pentagon has issued a multimillion-dollar contract to test powerful humanoid robots. Foundation Future Industries has landed a $24 million deal to develop its “Phantom” robots,

XPeng (NYSE:XPEV) used Auto China 2026 in Beijing to showcase advances in intelligent driving, robotics, and flying car technology. The company outlined a timeline for mass market flying car production starting in 2027,

Walker S2 is an adult-sized humanoid robot with legs, a torso, and arms. China is sending these robots to patrol their border with Vietnam.

Chinese startups are churning out more humanoid robots than their U.S. rivals, despite far lower valuations.

Robotics and automation have moved well beyond the trade‑show stage and into a real investment cycle. Companies across manufacturing, logistics, and fulfillment are deploying collaborative robots, machine‑vision systems,

Mercedes-Benz has partnered with robotics firm Apptronik to explore using humanoid robots in its manufacturing plants. A Mercedes-Benz executive believes the current technology is too slow and lacks the flexibility required for vehicle production.

HUMANOID robots are getting ready to leave research labs and start working in real factories. A new study from Roland Berger, Humanoid Robots 2026 – The Convergence Moment for a New Market, says this change is happening now.