– Sanctuary AI announced delivery of humanoid robot to Magna manufacturing facility
– Similar deals announced by other companies with BMW, Mercedes and Ford
– Magna invested in Sanctuary AI in 2021, unveiling humanoid robot named Phoenix with focus on dexterity and scalability through partnership with Magna
Sanctuary AI is delivering its humanoid robot to a Magna manufacturing facility in Canada, which also has auto manufacturing facilities in Austria and assembles cars for top automakers like Mercedes and BMW. The exact number of robots to be deployed has not been disclosed. Other companies like Figure and Apptronik have announced similar deals with BMW and Mercedes, while Agility had a deal with Ford for last-mile deliveries that has since been put on hold.
Magna had previously invested in Sanctuary AI in 2021, around the time Elon Musk announced plans for a humanoid robot to work in Tesla factories. Sanctuary unveiled its humanoid robot, Phoenix, which is 5’7” tall and weighs 155 pounds, with a focus on creating dexterous hands for expanded functionality. The pilot with Magna aims to improve cost and scalability of robots using Magna’s engineering and manufacturing capabilities, as well as strategic equity investment by Magna.
These agreements are pilot programs and do not necessarily validate the form factor and systems of the robots. The success of the pilot will ultimately be measured by ROI, and specifics such as the number of robots, pilot duration, and deployment location have not been disclosed by the company. The focus is on assessing the potential benefits of integrating robots into Magna’s automotive product portfolio through this partnership.