Technology
Chinese automakers follow Tesla's bet that humanoid robots are the next profit machine
Chinese automakers including Xpeng, BYD and others are doubling down on humanoid robotics, a strategic pivot that mirrors Tesla's Optimus program and reflects a broader hope that robots — not cars — will be the long-tail revenue line for the world's largest auto industry. The push comes as domestic EV price competition compresses margins and as Beijing-backed supply chains for motors, reducers and AI compute give Chinese manufacturers a structural cost edge in bringing humanoid platforms to mass production.