Mercedes puts humanoids and AI to work in Berlin digital centre
20 March 2025 
Image: Merdes-Benz Group
Mercedes-Benz has started to trial the use of humanoid robots in manufacturing roles, with an initial focus on repetitive intralogistics tasks. It is conducting the trials at a cutting-edge facility in Berlin where it also testing advanced digital technologies, and is gearing up to produce axial-flux electric motors.
Initially, Mercedes is using Apollo robots from the US humanoid developer Apptronik to transport components and modules to assembly staff on production lines at the site. The robots also carry out initial quality checks on the components, as well as collecting data in a production environment to train for specific tasks. Mercedes-Benz employees with production know-how have been transferring their knowledge to the humanoids using teleoperation processes and augmented reality.
Mercedes-Benz is allowing the humanoids to perform autonomous operations, which it describes “a technological milestone on the way to a flexible, intelligent assistance system for production”.
To emphasise its commitment to deploying humanoid robots in production, Mercedes-Benz is making a “low double-digit-million” euro investment into Apptronik, which has just raised a further $53m in Series A funding, taking the total that it has raised in the oversubscribed round to $403m.
The German car-maker is testing the humanoid robots at its Mercedes-Benz Digital Factory Campus (MBDFC) – its global centre for production and digitalisation innovation, which is located in Berlin-Marienfelde.
Mercedes-Benz is also establishing the site as a centre of excellence for the production of high-performance axial-flux motors, based on the technology that it acquired when it bought the UK-based axial motor developer, Yasa, in 2021. Manufacturing of these motors due to start next year.
Producing the axial-flux motors will involve around 100 processes, around 65 of which are new to Mercedes-Benz, with 35 thought to be new to the world. For example, Mercedes is combining new ways of using laser technologies with bonding processes and AI. These new production techniques have resulted in more than 30 patent filings.
At the MBDFC, Mercedes is combining the development and testing of new processes and technologies, with implementing its MO360 (Mercedes-Benz Cars Operations 360) digital ecosystem for automotive production. It is testing new production processes and software applications before they are implemented on production lines in its assembly plants.
For example, Mercedes has added AI functions to MO360 such as a chatbot that allows employees to ask questions about machine maintenance or best-practice methods for manufacturing processes. The AI provides precise answers in a choice of languages.
Another practical use of AI is Mercedes’ “virtual multi-agent system” in which AI-supported virtual assistants analyse complex data in real time, and use it, for example, to identify the causes of any deviations in production line quality. Instead of laborious, manual root-cause analysis, the AI agents analyse data, identify patterns and anomalies, and suggest solutions at the touch of a button.
“Mercedes-Benz Berlin-Marienfelde remains at the cutting edge of automotive production and keeps Germany on the map as a global centre for innovation,” says Jörg Burzer, Mercedes’ board member responsible for production, quality, and supply chain management. “AI and humanoid robots open up an exciting new frontier which make automotive production more sustainable, efficient and more intelligent.”
