Dongfeng Motor is set to deploy its humanoid robot in factory environments starting this October. The robot, named Xiao Dong, is designed for manufacturing tasks including material sorting and quality inspection. The company plans to conduct small-batch production trials by the end of this year and aims for the robot to achieve human-level operational capabilities by the end of 2025.
In addition to the humanoid model, Dongfeng is developing a quadruped robot called Yuanzai. This robotic dog is expected to enter service sooner, with initial applications focused on roles such as showroom guides at 4S dealerships. The company is also exploring broader applications for embodied AI, suggesting that vehicles themselves will eventually function as a form of embodied intelligence.
Both Xiao Dong and Yuanzai were showcased at the 2026 World Robot Conference in August. While the humanoid robot focuses on repetitive manufacturing tasks and flexible autonomous workflows, the quadruped robot features autonomous navigation, multimodal sensing, and intelligent interaction capabilities. Dongfeng intends to continue upgrading both platforms for autonomous operations in various industrial and service scenarios.
