Bosch will serve as a contract manufacturing partner for UK robotics company Humanoid as the two companies move toward production of the HMND 01 humanoid robot for the European market. The agreement follows a proof of concept in which Humanoid robots were tested in an intralogistics application at a Bosch facility in Bühl, Germany.
The proof of concept, completed in March 2026, involved HMND 01 robots autonomously moving boxes from a conveyor to a trolley in a changing logistics environment. The robots handled five different box sizes with varying dimensions, heights and weights. The project also tested scanning and handling functions, inputs from multiple conveyors and the system’s ability to adapt to changing conditions.
Humanoid uses its KinetIQ AI framework to coordinate the robots. Following the test, the companies entered into a manufacturing agreement under which Bosch will support production of the HMND 01. Bosch will also provide technical input through a Design for Excellence framework covering areas including hardware design, production, supply chains and cost optimisation. The companies plan to examine the use of Bosch components and technologies in future versions of the robot.
The agreement fits into a broader robotics strategy at Bosch. The German technology group says it does not intend to become a manufacturer of humanoid robots under its own brand. Instead, it is positioning its businesses as suppliers of components, automation technology and industrialisation expertise to robotics companies. Bosch expects robotics to develop into a business worth billions of euros for the group.
Bosch is drawing on technologies already used in factory automation and other parts of its business. These include MEMS sensors, electric motors, servo drives and the Bosch Rexroth ctrlX Automation platform. Bosch says these technologies can provide functions such as motion control, tactile sensing and integration of robots into industrial automation systems. Bosch Rexroth is already working on projects that combine autonomous transport systems with robotic arms.
The company has also created Robert Bosch Robotics GmbH to develop and commercialise robotics technologies. In addition to its work with Humanoid, Bosch is collaborating with German robotics company Neura Robotics on cognitive robots and says it is working with other robotics companies in the United States and China. It has also established the Bosch Robotics Center China to support development of physical AI and robotics applications in the Chinese market.
Manufacturing is another part of Bosch’s approach. The group operates more than 230 plants worldwide and is using production data for AI applications including process optimisation, predictive maintenance and optical inspection. Bosch is also using motion-capture suits to record human movements that can be converted into training data for robotic systems.
For Humanoid, the Bosch agreement provides a route from prototype testing toward industrial production. The company, founded in 2024, is developing wheeled and bipedal humanoid platforms for industrial applications. Its initial work with Bosch is focused on logistics, while the manufacturing partnership is intended to support wider deployment of the HMND 01 in European industrial environments.
