Since 2016, China has been the world’s largest industrial robot market. Reports from the International Federation of Robots show that foreign robot makers sold nearly 90,000 units to Chinese manufacturers that year and more than 103,000 robots in 2017—with most of the robots being used by the country’s automakers.
For example, Changan Ford Automobile Co. Ltd. (CFAC) operates a large number of robots at its plants in Chongqing, Hangzhou and Harbin. CFAC was formed in December 2012 after a restructuring of Changan Ford Mazda, whereby Ford and Mazda agreed to work with Changan in separate joint ventures.