Recently, German industrial giant Schaeffler AG announced two significant deals on the same day. On one hand, it revealed a partnership with European humanoid robotics company Hexagon Robotics to supply joint actuators—the core driving components for robot motion—for its humanoid robot AEON. On the other hand, Schaeffler itself plans to purchase 1,000 AEON units for deployment across its global factories over the next seven years.

Notably, these transactions were finalized during the 2026 Hannover Messe, often referred to as the "Oscars of the industrial world." This approach is uncommon in mature industries like automotive; for instance, Bosch does not sell ABS systems while simultaneously buying 1,000 cars equipped with its own ABS to "prove reliability." However, the logic within the humanoid robotics sector appears different.

Currently, with no unified standard for actuators, most robotics companies are hesitant to outsource such a critical component. Schaeffler's dual strategy of selling actuators while purchasing robots essentially stems from a lack of third-party validation and early adopters. The company is using its own factories as a testing ground to validate the "standardized actuator + external robot" combination, aiming to gather real-world data to convince other potential customers.

Behind this validation effort, Schaeffler is betting on a more fundamental question: Will the humanoid robotics industry eventually adopt standardized modular division of labor, similar to the automotive sector, or will it follow the smartphone model, where brands develop core technologies in-house, pursuing vertical integration? Schaeffler is betting on the former.

Why Schaeffler? A Legacy Player's New Bet Founded in 1946, Schaeffler started with precision bearings and has built nearly 80 years of expertise in automotive transmission and industrial automation. In October 2024, it merged with electric drive specialist Vitesco, resulting in a group with approximately €18.2 billion in annual revenue and about 120,000 employees.

However, the shift towards vehicle electrification is challenging traditional automotive suppliers. Schaeffler's 2025 annual report indicated "stable" performance but also noted structural adjustments in Europe, including plans to cut around 4,700 jobs to reduce costs. Humanoid robotics represents a new growth avenue for the company.

Schaeffler is not entering this field hastily. In the second half of 2025, it collaborated with German humanoid robotics firm Neura Robotics to test robot applications within its own factories. At CES 2026 in late 2025, Schaeffler showcased a "planetary gear actuator" specifically designed for humanoid robots, integrating the motor, gear reducer, encoder, and controller into a standardized module. The goal is to address the current fragmentation in actuator solutions.

Why are actuators so crucial? A humanoid robot typically requires 20 to 40 joints. Actuators are the core components that enable movement, analogous to an automobile's engine and transmission or the human heart. According to McKinsey industry analysis, actuators account for 30% to 40% of a humanoid robot's material costs, making them the highest-value single subsystem. Essentially, whoever becomes the standard supplier for actuators secures one of the most valuable positions in the supply chain.

Schaeffler's strategy is clear: It aims to establish the "standard joint actuator" as the "ABS pump" of the humanoid robotics industry—a universal, cross-brand, cross-platform reusable module. Supplying to Hexagon and VinDynamics represents its external customer base. Procuring 1,000 AEON units for its own factories is intended to gather performance data in real production environments to refine its products.

This approach of "selling hardware while defining its application" resembles Intel's early strategy of selling chips while also developing reference platforms: It's not just providing components but also helping to define how the final product functions.

Standardized Parts or In-House Development? A Fundamental Divergence in Approaches However, Schaeffler faces competitors who do not subscribe to the "standardized parts" logic. Tesla's Optimus humanoid robot is entirely self-designed, from its actuators to its dexterous hands. Even if external suppliers (like China's Zhenyu Technology) are introduced during mass production, core control logic and system architecture remain firmly under Tesla's control. This mirrors Apple's approach with the iPhone: in-house chip and OS development, defining hardware-software interaction, with external suppliers manufacturing to specification.

U.S. company Figure AI follows a similar path. Its latest product, the Figure 03, features in-house developed core actuators and motion control systems. Its BotQ factory aims for an output of one complete robot per hour. Vertical integration is their core strategy for ensuring production capacity and user experience.

The root of this divergence lies in a key assessment: Where does the performance differentiation in humanoid robots primarily come from?

If the answer is "deep integration of hardware and software," where a robot's agility and stability depend on the co-optimization of algorithms and hardware, then vertical integration is the optimal path, leaving a low ceiling for standardized components. This is the direction Tesla and Figure are betting on.

If the answer is that "hardware will become commoditized," where basic actuator performance metrics (torque, response speed, energy efficiency) converge across suppliers as the industry matures, and differentiation shifts to software and applications, then professional specialization becomes inevitable—much like how no car manufacturer produces its own ABS pumps.

Reality is More Complex Than Expected The current industry reality is likely more complex than either side anticipates. Goldman Sachs predicts the global humanoid robot market could reach $38 billion by 2035. McKinsey notes that the capacity gap for high-performance actuators, precision reducers, and other key components represents a "multi-billion dollar opportunity."

Growing demand and supply gaps appear favorable for entrants like Schaeffler. However, structural challenges are clear, with China being an unavoidable variable.

Previously, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology released the world's first systematic national standard framework for humanoid robots, involving over 140 companies and research institutions, covering areas from complete robots and key components to software platforms.

Simultaneously, China's domestic supply chain is rapidly advancing. Companies like Leaderdrive have gained international competitiveness in harmonic reducers, while firms like Inovance continuously iterate on joint modules. If Chinese standards become a mainstream industry reference, the acceptance of a "standard joint" defined by a German supplier becomes not just a technical issue but also a matter of industrial influence.

More pragmatically, Tesla Optimus's supply chain is increasingly concentrated in China's Yangtze River Delta region. Some reports suggest Optimus "cannot be manufactured" without Chinese components. When the world's strongest vertically integrated player relies on Chinese manufacturing capabilities, Schaeffler, as a European supplier attempting to define a "standard," faces competitive pressure not only from Tesla's in-house development path but also from Chinese suppliers' advantages in cost and production capacity.

Returning to the initial question: Will humanoid robots follow the automotive path or the smartphone path? A possible answer is that both paths will be followed, but in different market segments.

If high-end consumer-grade robots eventually enter households, they may resemble the "smartphone model": pursuing ultimate user experience, deep hardware-software integration, and strong brand loyalty. Industrial-grade robots performing structured tasks in factories and warehouses may align more with the "automotive model": multiple brands coexisting, relying on specialized suppliers for standardized subsystems, with competition focusing on deployment cost, reliability, and maintenance convenience.

Schaeffler's primary battlefield is likely the latter. Its plan to deploy 1,000 AEON units targets highly structured industrial environments like its own factories. Its supply deals with Hexagon and VinDynamics also target industrial robotics clients, not consumer electronics brands. In this segment, the logic for "standardized joints" is more compelling. Factories don't need robots to dance or perform backflips; they need joints with long lifespans, predictable maintenance cycles, and interchangeability between different suppliers' components. These are precisely the strengths of traditional precision machinery manufacturers.

However, even within industrial scenarios, Schaeffler faces a timing challenge. Industry standards are not yet solidified, and technological pathways are still diverging, presenting a prime opportunity to establish a position. Conversely, the "standard" defined today could be overturned tomorrow. Various solutions—planetary gears, harmonic reducers, direct drive, hydraulic—have their proponents. No one in 2026 can definitively predict which will prevail.