Austin Weber

Compared with Industry 4.0, where humans mainly act as supervisors, Industry 5.0 elevates human expertise and contextual understanding. The objective is to allow people to focus on high-value cognitive tasks while being supported by intelligent machines that handle routine, hazardous or precision-intensive work.

STAMFORD, CT—Humanoid robots are one of the hottest topics of 2026. But, despite all the hype, many manufacturers plan to cautiously approach the technology.

Although Industry 5.0 is still a relatively new term, engineers are already talking about another buzz word called Physical AI. The term refers to augmenting physical systems with intelligence that scales.

MUNICH—The BMW Group is the latest automaker that plans to use humanoid robots in an assembly plant.

A team of young engineers at the University of Tennessee is using a six-axis collaborative robot to automate assembly steps such as terminal insertion and wire routing.

SAN JOSE, CA—Tensor Inc. has formed a multiyear strategic partnership with Arm Holdings plc to develop autonomous vehicle technology.

LOGAN, UT—An iron ore mine in Brazil that uses state-of the-art autonomous vehicles is the recipient of the 2026 Shingo Prize.

NORMAL, IL—Rivian Automotive Inc. will assemble its much-anticipated R2 on a "technologically advanced production line that runs on smart and connected digital systems."

Zonal architecture organizes electrical components and their connections by physical zones within a vehicle, rather than by functions or domains. 

CAMBRIDGE, ON—Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada plans to deploy humanoid robots at its assembly plant in Woodstock that builds RAV4 sport utility vehicles.