Following its announcement of acquiring a controlling stake in STAR Market-listed Shangwei New Materials, Zhiyuan Robotics has secured a landmark victory by winning China Mobile's humanoid robotics procurement bid. On July 11, China Mobile's procurement portal revealed Zhiyuan Robotics and Yushu Technology as winning bidders for China Mobile (Hangzhou) Information Technology Co., Ltd.'s humanoid bipedal robot manufacturing project. Package 1, covering full-scale humanoid bipedal robots with a budget of RMB 78 million, went to Zhiyuan Robotics. Meanwhile, Package 2 for compact humanoid bipedal robots, computing backpacks, and five-fingered dexterous hands, valued at RMB 46.05 million, was awarded to Yushu Technology. Industry analysis suggests this signals maturation in China's humanoid robotics sector, with Xin Da Securities highlighting batch-order capabilities as evidence of accelerating commercialization and expanding application scenarios.

As the sole robotics firm offering comprehensive product lines across all operational environments, Zhiyuan Robotics fields three distinct robot series—Expedition, Elf, and Lingxi—alongside its foundational "Zhiyuan Qiyuan" embodied intelligence platform. Positioned alongside Yushu Technology and Yinhe Tongyong in the industry's top tier, Zhiyuan has accelerated full-supply-chain integration through multiple partnerships since 2025. Notably, three collaborations involve core Joyson Group subsidiaries: automotive safety leader Joyson Electronics (600699.SH), automation specialist Junpu Intelligent (688306.SH), and measurement solutions provider Xiangshan Co., Ltd. (002870.SZ). This multidimensional alliance spans R&D, manufacturing, and component-to-complete-system development—an unusually extensive collaboration framework within the robotics ecosystem.

The strategic partnership solidified in April when Joyson Group and Zhiyuan Robotics established joint venture Puzhi Future. This entity will co-develop, manufacture, and market general-purpose humanoid robot bodies while advancing intelligent, special-operation, and service robotics. Crucially, Puzhi Future will adapt Zhiyuan's robotic platforms for industry-specific applications and accelerate their commercial deployment. At the component level, Joyson Electronics focuses on critical subsystems. Both companies will collaborate on core technologies for robots' "cerebral" and "cerebellar" systems, customized component development, and testing infrastructure. Zhiyuan Robotics will prioritize Joyson's parts in production, citing their reliability, cost efficiency, and supply chain stability as decisive advantages.

Deng Taihua, CEO of Zhiyuan Robotics, emphasized Joyson's automotive-sector expertise—spanning mechanical engineering, electronics, and software—coupled with its global R&D and manufacturing network. This synergy promises to accelerate core component development while driving down mass-production costs, ultimately boosting industry adoption rates. Joyson Group framed the alliance as its gateway into embodied intelligence robotics, anticipating mutually beneficial growth that aligns commercial objectives with social impact.

For Joyson Electronics—currently the world's second-largest automotive safety supplier—robotics represents a strategic extension of its smart cockpit capabilities. Leveraging technological parallels between intelligent vehicles and humanoid robots, the company now positions itself as an "Automotive + Robotics Tier-1" supplier. Its cross-industry expansion draws on shared R&D foundations: Energy management systems derived from electric vehicle platforms now power robotic "energy hubs," while automotive lightweighting expertise enables flexible-yet-durable composite structures for robotic limbs. Current offerings include sensor arrays (olfactory sensors, electronic skin, six-axis force sensors), energy management modules, and high-performance materials.

Market projections indicate China's embodied AI sector surged beyond RMB 480 billion in 2024, with trillion-yuan thresholds expected by 2031. Early applications span flexible manufacturing, interactive services, and specialized logistics, while emerging segments like eldercare companions and commercial services could emerge within three years. Policy support continues driving humanoid robotics advancement, with Tianfeng Securities noting Joyson Electronics' recent project win with Zhiyuan Robotics as the precursor to broader order momentum. Positioned at the convergence of automotive and robotics innovation, the company appears poised for sustained expansion across both high-growth sectors.

(Source: NetEase Tech)