Mitsubishi Electric Corp. is backing construction-tech startup Akari Inc., the latest in a sector-wide quest for knowhow to fully automate factories and train robots to react to different situations.

Robots are quietly lining up for factory jobs and humans may soon be outnumbered or replaced entirely

The Austin push is planned for February, insiders told Business Insider. Tesla has been training Optimus in its Fremont factory for more than a year.

Even with those limitations, orders for the machines are accelerating. Manufacturers such as BYD and Foxconn, both partners with UBTech, are experimenting with humanoids to offset

Hyundai's Atlas robot lifts 110 lbs, spins 360 degrees, and learns fleet-wide overnight—robotics hits its iPhone moment.

Boston Dynamics' enterprise-grade Atlas humanoid robots are now heading to Hyundai factories, designed for 24/7 operation and AI-driven adaptation.

For decades, automotive factories have been optimized around one thing: human hands. Even the most advanced plants on Earth still rely on people to handle awkward angles, flexible materials, and unpredictable assembly steps.

UBTech executive highlights difficulty in replacing workers with machines but manufacturers are still racing to order them

Fully automated factories are coming, Colorado wants to lead on battery recycling, and underwater car loans are a growing problem.