Portuguese 
Dongfeng will deploy its humanoid robot Xiaodong in factories starting in October 2026, focusing on sorting and quality inspection.
Dongfeng plans to activate its humanoid robot Xiaodong in its factories by October 2026, initially focusing on material sorting and quality inspection tasks. The Chinese automaker is also preparing for a small-scale experimental production by the end of this year and has set a more ambitious goal: to bring the robot’s efficiency closer to that of human workers by the end of 2027.
The timeline was detailed by Zhang Zhenlin, chief engineer of smart technology at the company, during the tenth week of innovation in science and technology at the manufacturer. This strategy positions the company among Chinese automakers leveraging accumulated knowledge in artificial intelligence and automotive production for robotics.
Dongfeng’s robot will start with repetitive tasks within factories
Xiaodong was developed specifically for the industrial environment. Rather than debuting in demonstration or customer service activities, its initial role will be to support processes related to vehicle manufacturing.
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Material sorting is identified as one of the primary applications. The robot will also participate in quality inspection, a task that requires repetition and the ability to handle various situations within production.
Dongfeng asserts that the machine is transitioning from a phase focused on isolated movements to the execution of more flexible operations autonomously. This evolution will be tested in the everyday use of the factories before the company expands production.
Dongfeng prepares for small-scale robot production by 2026
The entry into industrial facilities will be followed by another step: the production of units in limited quantities.
According to Zhang, the experimental production is expected to start by the end of 2026. The goal is to gain sufficient experience to gradually enhance the system’s capabilities over the following year.
Xiaodong was publicly unveiled in August during the 2026 World Robotics Conference. At that time, it appeared alongside another project from the manufacturer, the quadruped Yuanzai.
The presence of both machines indicates that the company’s investment is not restricted to a single format of robot.
The Yuanzai is expected to see commercial utilization before the humanoid robot. One of the first expected activities is guiding customers in dealerships.
The quadruped includes autonomous navigation, multimodal perception, and interaction capabilities. The manufacturer is also considering applications for patrolling and smart services while working to enhance its level of autonomy.
Meanwhile, Xiaodong is initially directed toward manufacturing, where it will be observed in real production situations.
This division allows Dongfeng to test robotics in very different environments: on one side, industrial tasks; on the other, customer service and patrolling activities.
Dongfeng aims to reuse technology developed for automobiles
The entry into robotics leverages resources the manufacturer has already developed for vehicles.
Zhang believes that integrated intelligence technologies can transfer between automobiles and other machines, reducing the gap between research, application, and large-scale production. Major models used in the automotive sector are among the resources that can be utilized in other products.
The company’s own definition of embedded intelligence goes beyond humanoids. For the company, vehicles can also be treated as machines capable of perceiving their environment, processing information, and executing actions.
This exchange helps explain why Chinese automakers have begun to invest in the race for robots.
While developing autonomous machines, the manufacturer is also preparing for a large-scale international expansion. The announced plan includes investments of 50 billion yuan, equivalent to about US$ 7.41 billion, in foreign markets.
The company aims to launch more than 50 models, build ten large production bases outside of China, and create five international research and development centers. The goal is to reach 1.5 million vehicles sold abroad by 2030.
