Sanctuary AI has announced the delivery of its humanoid robot to a Magna manufacturing facility. Magna, based in Canada with auto manufacturing facilities in Austria, manufactures and assembles cars for top European automakers like Mercedes, Jaguar, and BMW. The specific number of Sanctuary AI robots to be deployed as part of this partnership has not been disclosed.
This news follows similar deals made by Figure and Apptronik, who are piloting their own humanoid systems with BMW and Mercedes, respectively. Agility also announced a deal with Ford at CES in January 2020 for last-mile deliveries using Digit units. However, Agility has since shifted focus to warehouse deployments through partners like Amazon.
Magna had previously invested in Sanctuary AI in 2021 around the same time Elon Musk announced plans for a humanoid robot to work in Tesla factories, later named “Optimus.” Sanctuary AI introduced its own system, Phoenix, in May of the previous year. Phoenix stands at 5’7” and weighs 155 pounds.
Phoenix is not Sanctuary’s first humanoid, but it is the first to walk on legs despite most videos focusing on the system’s torso. Sanctuary has also prioritized creating dexterous hands to enhance functionality beyond basic movement.
The pilot is described as “a multi-disciplinary assessment of improving cost and scalability of robots using Magna’s automotive product portfolio, engineering, and manufacturing capabilities; and a strategic equity investment by Magna.”
As with any pilot agreement, these deals are not an immediate endorsement of the form factor and systems. The ultimate success will rely on Magna achieving its desired ROI through the partnership.
Specific details such as the exact number of robots, the duration of the pilot, and the specific factory for deployment have not been disclosed by the company.
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