Some robots ran the Beijing half-marathon autonomously, while others were controlled remotely, all competing on a parallel course to avoid collisions with human athletes.

A premapped course, a crew of handlers and a world-beating time: here’s what this Beijing half marathon reveals about how far humanoid robots have come—and how far they haven’t

Mercedes-Benz has partnered with robotics firm Apptronik to explore using humanoid robots in its manufacturing plants. A Mercedes-Benz executive believes the current technology is too slow and lacks the flexibility required for vehicle production.

Unlike last year, nearly half of the robot entrants navigated the tougher terrain autonomously instead of being directed by remote control during the 21-km (13-mile) race. The robots and 12,000 men and women ran in parallel tracks to avoid collisions.

In China, the world’s largest market, key trends include the convergence of application scenarios, deep integration of LLMs into general-purpose robots

The android won a race featuring robots and humans on Sunday in Beijing, achieving a technological milestone while finishing faster than any person in history.

Lightning, one of more than 100 robots running the Beijing E-Town, avoided a serious mishap and crossed the finish line in a record 50 minutes, 26 seconds.

Somewhere in China, a humanoid robot reportedly stands in a private living room rather than on a trade-show stage. UniX AI announced on April 12, 2026, that its Panther service robot had begun what the company calls the first real-home deployment of a mass-produced humanoid.

The winner from Honor, a Chinese smartphone maker, completed the race in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, running faster than the human world record in a show of China's technological leaps.

BEIJING--A humanoid robot that won a half-marathon race for robots in Beijing on Sunday ran faster than the human world record in a show of China's technological leaps.