…but the majority of robots are IMPORTED from JAPAN, CHINA and GERMANY. How is the US automotive industry developing in terms of automation? The question is extremely relevant, not least in light of president Donald Trump's ambitions to bring home as much industrial production as possible, most recently via his widely criticized tariff program. Therefore, it is interesting to take a look at the figures that the IRF, the International Federation of Robotics, presents today regarding the pace of investments and installations of new industrial robots. It now turns out that even under Trump's predecessor in office, Joe Biden, a lot happened on the robotization front in 2024: The automotive industry in the United States increased its investments in industrial robots by 10.7 percent, which means that in 2024 it reached 13,700 units, according to the preliminary IFR results for the year.
"The United States has one of the most automated automotive industries in the world: The ratio of robots to factory workers is in fifth place, tied with Japan and Germany and ahead of China," notes Takayuki Ito, president of the International Federation of Robotics. "This is a major modernization achievement. However," he added, "in other key areas of manufacturing automation, the United States lags behind its competitors."
However, it should be noted that the majority of industrial robots are imports from abroad, which is a consequence of the fact that there are few robot manufacturers producing in the United States. Globally, four countries in particular are the leaders in robot production: 70% of installations emanate from units manufactured in Japan, China, Germany and South Korea.
Within this group, Chinese manufacturers are the most dynamic. They have production for their huge domestic market, which has more than tripled in five years (2019-2023). This places them in second place after Japan. China's success is based on its national robotics strategy. Its manufacturing industry installed a total of around 280,000 units per year between 2021 and 2023, compared to a total of 34,300 installations in the United States in 2024.
In China, robotics and automation are penetrating all levels of production. This is evidenced by its high robot density of 470 robots per 10,000 manufacturing employees – the third highest in the world, surpassed only by Germany and Japan in 2023.
The US, on the other hand, ranks only tenth among the world’s most automated manufacturing countries with a robot density of 2,900 robots per 100 employees. The country’s automation is heavily concentrated in the automotive sector: Around 40% of all new industrial robot installations in 2024 will be in the automotive industry. This is followed by the metal and mechanical engineering industry with 3,800 units representing an 11% market share. Installations in the US electrical and electronics industry have a 9% market share with 2,900 units sold.
