Humanoid robots may lift auto part makers' fortunes

For auto component makers facing risks from the rise of electric vehicles and looming US tariffs, a new potential market is emerging: humanoid robots.

- Ayaan Kartik

Manufacturers of engine components and transmissions to brake assemblies can diversify into making parts for robots that look and function like humans.

“There are companies which have already started making humanoid robots,” said Rohit Nanda, group chief financial officer at Sona Comstar, which announced its foray into the segment on 30 April. “About 50% of the bill of materials of such robots are products which we make for other applications such as motors, drives, and gears.”

The use of robots in scientific research to factories is expected to explode over the next decade. The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) has developed a humanoid robot, Vyommitra, which will fly into space as part of the test launches for the Gaganyaan mission. Goldman Sachs expects the global market for humanoids to grow to $38 billion by 2035.

The supply chain is dominated by Chinese players, who could be challenged, Nanda of Sona Comstar told Mint. “We need to learn how to make these for a different use case. Our engineers will work with potential customers to develop these capabilities.”