GM cuts 1,000 employees, installs 50 robots
"We have been installing cobots across our factories as part of a broader effort to bring advanced technology to manufacturing operations," spokesman Kevin Kelly told Crain's Detroit Business.
According to Autoblog, cobots are robots designed to work with humans in shared spaces, without the need for large safety barriers like traditional industrial robots. This type of robot is considered a new trend in the US, helping to speed up the process of "reviving" production in this country.
Kelly said, 50 cobots will take on the task of attaching component panels to the car body on the assembly line at Factory Zero. GM now sees cobots as a necessary step at the Detroit plant, helping to maintain competitiveness while also improving "safety and convenience" for workers.
"We have deployed cobots with our workforce, helping to improve safety and working conditions, while maintaining flexibility and competitiveness in production operations," he shared.
According to NYPost, GM's move came after the American automaker fired more than 1,000 workers at its Detroit factory alone and postponed its electric vehicle strategy. Equipping the factory with robots is like "adding fuel to the fire", making many workers angry.
James Cotton, President of the UAW (United Auto Workers) branch 22, representing Factory Zero factory workers, said that GM is "trying to cut costs through equipping robots". He said he had "filed a complaint", but did not specify where it was filed.
"Seeing robots appear in factories is always a concern, especially after they have laid off more than 1,000 people. From top to bottom, we are all disgusted when they use collaborative robots in factories," Cotton told Crain's Detroit Business. "They say it's a trend, if it's true, they're taking people's jobs away."
UAW President Shawn Fain also said workers are "fighting for humanity." "The fruits of our labor have multiplied at an unprecedented rate, but workers have not enjoyed them," Fain told the News Tribune. "If AI continues to be exploited, it needs to be prevented. In a fair society, when workers create more value, they will benefit more."
GM has not yet commented.
The trend of bringing cobots into factories is being applied more and more in the US. Compared to complex robot systems, cobots are considered easier to use. Operators can simply program via the tablet interface or control specific sequences of actions. Meanwhile, older robots popular in the US since the 1960s to large robots require many years of training.
Once a luxury machine reserved for large factories, cobots, with their compact, intelligent, flexible and affordable features, are bringing automation to every manufacturer, regardless of size. Experts say cobots are part of a broader trend in the robotics industry. They are symbiotic with humans and can adapt to many changes compared to previous industrial robots.
According to Grand View Research, the US cobot market in 2024 will reach 133.1 million USD, expected to grow at an annual rate of 29.7% from 2025 to 2030. They are applied in the manufacturing industry such as assembly, quality inspection, machining, and large machine support; logistics such as internal transportation, parcel classification; installing electronic components and microchips; Used in packaging, canning, and inspection in the food and pharmaceutical fields.
Bao Lam compiled