Automakers are increasingly turning to companies like FANUC Robotics, its Automate exhibit at Huntington Place pictured, to drive greater efficiency and quality. // Photo by R.J. King
As Automate in Detroit, the largest robotics and automation event in the Americas, runs through Thursday at Huntington Place in downtown Detroit, carmakers are increasingly turning to robots to drive greater efficiency and quality.
Domestic automakers have invested in more automation as total installations of industrial robots in the car industry increased by 10.7 percent, reaching 13,700 units in 2024, according to preliminary results from the International Federation of Robotics.
“The United States has one of the most automated car industries in the world: The ratio of robots to factory workers ranks fifth, tied with Japan and Germany, and ahead of China,” says Takayuki Ito, president of the International Federation of Robotics.
“This is a great achievement of modernization. However, in other key areas of manufacturing automation, the U.S. lags behind its competitors.”
The majority of industrial robots are imports from overseas, as there are few robot manufacturers in the U.S. Globally, 70 percent of installations are produced by four countries: Japan, China, Germany, and South Korea.
Within this group, Chinese manufacturers are the most dynamic, with domestic production more than tripling between 2019-2023. Overall, China is in second place after Japan.
Operating a national robotics strategy, China’s manufacturing industry installed a total of some 280,000 units per year between 2021 and 2023, compared to a total of 34,300 installations in the U.S. in 2024.
In China, a robot density of 470 robots per 10,000 employees in manufacturing — the third highest in the world — surpassed Germany and Japan in 2023.
The U.S. ranks 10th among the world’s most automated manufacturing countries with a robot density of 295 robots per 10,000 employees. The country’s automation is heavily concentrated in the car sector: Around 40 percent of all new industrial robot installations in 2024 were in automotive.
On Wednesday at 10:30 a.m., Jane Heffner, vice president of the International Federation of Robotics, will present the preliminary figures on robot installations at the Automate Show Theatre (middle of the show floor), followed by a Robotics Executive Roundtable discussing trends and technologies driving the industry today.
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In Related News: Robot orders in North America remained essentially flat in the first quarter of 2025, with companies purchasing 9,064 units valued at $580.7 million, according to new data released by the Association for Advancing Automation (A3) in Ann Arbor.
Compared to Q1 2024, this represents a 0.4 percent increase in units ordered and a 15 percent rise in order value, signaling continued demand and increased investment in higher-value automation systems.
Demand from automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) was the primary growth driver, with 3,668 units ordered valued at $263 million—a 42 percent increase in units and a 78 percent increase in revenue over Q1 2024.
The revenue growth reflects not only higher volume, but also a shift in the types of applications being automated this quarter, with a greater share of orders tied to higher-value systems. In contrast, orders from automotive component suppliers declined 29 percent in units and 12 percent in value year-over-year, totaling 1,407 units and $88 million.
Most non-automotive sectors experienced contraction relative to Q1 2024, with the exception of plastics and rubber, which saw 12 percent growth in units ordered and a 33 percent increase in order value. Sectors such as food and consumer goods, metals, and semiconductors experienced year-over-year declines.
“The first quarter data highlights a continued resilience in automation investment, particularly in the automotive sector, even as manufacturers navigate a complex macroeconomic environment,” says Alex Shikany, executive vice president at A3. “At the same time, some sectors are taking a more cautious approach as broader economic uncertainty persists.”
In addition, A3 has started reporting collaborative robot (cobot) statistics as part of its official quarterly data — the first industry-wide dataset of its kind in North America.
In Q1 2025, North American companies ordered 1,052 collaborative robots valued at $39.2 million. Cobots accounted for 11.6 percent of all robots ordered, and 6.8 percent of total revenue this quarter.
Cobot demand was strongest in industries prioritizing flexibility and safe human-machine collaboration:
- Life Sciences/Pharma/Biomed: 127 units ($7.1M)
- Food & Consumer Goods: 114 units ($4.5M)
- All Other Industries: 419 units ($13.5M)
In each of these segments, collaborative robots made up more than 20 percent of total demand.
“We’re proud to launch this new level of reporting,” says Shikany. “Cobots are one of the fastest-growing areas of robotics adoption, and providing clear, reliable data on where they’re being used will help manufacturers, integrators, and suppliers make more informed decisions.”
Despite uneven demand across sectors, long-term trends continue to support automation investment. As companies face pressures from labor shortages, reshoring strategies, and digital transformation goals, robotics remains a key part of how manufacturers adapt and remain competitive.
“Automation is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity for competitive manufacturing,” says Shikany. “The record-setting interest we are seeing for Automate 2025 in Detroit underscores the urgency with which companies across sectors are looking to integrate robotics into their operations.”
More detailed market breakouts and graphs from the Q1 2025 report are available within the
A3 Vault for member companies.
Members of A3 represent 1,360 manufacturers, component suppliers, system integrators, end users, academic institutions, research groups and consulting firms that drive automation forward worldwide.
Automate, which is expected to draw 40,000 people and has more than 800 exhibitors, is a free event. To register, visit
automateshow.com.
