China firm rolls off cute robot vehicle for Apple's iPhone supplier

Chinese robotics company UBTECH Robotics, through its subsidiary UQI, has successfully completed Production Validation Testing (PVT) of its autonomous logistics vehicle, the Chitu α, at Foxconn’s New Energy Vehicle R&D Centre in Zhengzhou. This milestone marks the completion of a closed-loop validation process within an automotive factory, ensuring the vehicle meets manufacturing standards critical for mass production. The Chitu α, an L4-level autonomous logistics vehicle, is part of UBTECH’s full-stack robotics solution aimed at automating material handling and logistics tasks in smart factories, enhancing efficiency with driverless capabilities. UBTECH’s broader “Full-Stack Unmanned Logistics Solution 2.0” integrates the Chitu α with other robots like the Walker S2 humanoid and the Wali mobile robot family, enabling continuous 24/7 automated workflows covering storage, sorting, handling, and distribution across various industrial and logistics settings. The project demonstrated how multiple robot types can collaborate seamlessly on factory floors, pointing to a