What are China's 'dark factories'? Will America's auto industry follow suit? What to know
Robots work in pitch black Chinese factories to assemble global best-selling EVs. What does this mean for the American auto industry?
- China is investing heavily in fully-automated manufacturing plants for products like smartphones, cars, and more.
- Several companies in America already integrate A.I. and robotics into their production workflows.
- China's "dark factories" could set a new standard for vehicle production across the globe.
Automation is changing the automotive industry as we know it. The automotive sector is "the number one adopter of industrial robots" according to a 2024 piece about the rise of robotics from IBM.
The modern automotive assembly line is evolving. New developments in Chinese vehicle manufacturing could be horrific for workers in the American auto industry as automation takes center stage. Are fully-automated car factories the future of American automotive production?
What are China's 'dark factories' and how do they work?
"Dark factories" or "lights-out factories" are factories that rely so heavily on robotics and artificial intelligence systems that they hardly need any human interaction or input to function, says technology company Siemens. These factories can perform assembly tasks that were typically done by human workers prior to the advent of these advanced robotics systems.
Chinese electric automaker Zeekr has 820 robots in its manufacturing facility with more planned, according to The New York Times. China currently has more manufacturing robots per 10,000 workers than America. The goal of these automated factories is to improve quality while also reducing the cost of manufacturing. Robots in these factories can work without lighting for 24 hours a day.
What China's 'dark factories' could mean for the United States
AI has the potential to impact most industries and the automotive sector is no exception. Robots and AI aren't new to the assembly line. China's fully-automated factories could inspire American automakers and foreign automakers with plants on U.S. soil to go all-in on automation as well. The industry is already reeling from the impact of auto tariffs and automakers are pivoting their production strategies.
Vehicle manufacturing employed 308,000 workers last year, according to a 2024 piece by Forbes on auto industry jobs. These jobs have been trending up in terms of growth since 2009 (excluding a brief period of time during the COVID-19 global pandemic). An increase in automation could hinder that consistent growth.
Thankfully, the American auto industry doesn't always follow global automotive production trends, for better or worse. China was much quicker to adopt electric vehicles than the U.S. and a larger percentage of country's total number of vehicles is electric. China's automation strategy may not be mimicked by America, but it's a harrowing possibility as more companies incorporate artificial intelligence and robots into their vehicle production and products.
Are there any fully-automated auto factories in America?
No companies have invested in fully-automatic a manufacturing plant yet, but there are plenty of instances of pushes to increase automation from companies like Tesla and Hyundai. Tesla has made strides in the field of robotics with developments like the Optimus Bot and the use of robotics and AI in its Gigafactories. Hyundai's Metaplant America in Georgia features "more than 850 robots and almost 300 automated guided vehicles", says the South Korean company.
We may not have fully-autonomous factories in America, but automakers are using AI and robotics to streamline the vehicle production process. If American auto plants do go dark, thousands of American auto workers could be negatively impacted due to advancements in automation.