According to statements by Zhang Zhenlin, Chief Engineer for Intelligent Technologies, Dongfeng Motor intends to introduce its humanoid robots onto production sites in October to perform sorting and quality control tasks. Furthermore, the pilot industrial production of small batches is scheduled to begin by the end of 2026, with the robots expected to reach a productivity level comparable to human workers by the end of 2027.
These plans were announced during the tenth week of Dongfeng's innovations in science and technology, alongside initiatives such as the 'Tianjing Zero Carbon' program and the embodied intelligence vehicle protection program.
The humanoid robot platform named Xiaodong was presented at the World Robotics Conference in 2026 and is currently undergoing testing on material sorting scenarios in automotive manufacturing. Dongfeng asserts that the robot goes beyond simple repetitive movements and is moving towards fully autonomous flexible operations on the production floor.
Earlier commercial use will be seen with the company's Yuanzai home robot dog, which will be used to escort customers in dealerships. Yuanzai is capable of maintaining autonomous navigation, multimodal perception, and intelligent interaction for campus patrolling and smart service functions, with plans for further increases in autonomy.
Zhang noted that automakers' embodied intelligence programs allow for the reuse of technologies across large vehicle models, accelerating commercialization. He also emphasized that future products will not be limited to humanoid forms—the vehicles themselves can become embodied platforms.
This approach to products and operations—entering the factory in October, testing by the end of the year, and aiming for human-level performance in 2027—focuses attention on implementation timelines in manufacturing and retail, rather than speculation about fundraising or listings.
Dongfeng's schedule fits into a broader trend among Chinese OEMs who are setting deployment deadlines for robotics in factories, campuses, and stores. Unlike presentations on production lines elsewhere, this overview tracks Dongfeng's Xiaodong's path in sorting and quality control, the launch of Yuanzai in dealerships, and the phased plan from October to 2027 for systems ready for operation in factories, within their own premises, and the automaker's retail network.