On January 14, UBTECH announced it has signed a framework cooperation agreement with the National Robot Test and Evaluation Center (Guangzhou) (hereinafter, "NRT&E Guangzhou").
Image: UBTECH
NRT&E Guangzhou, established in 2015 as one of six national centers approved by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), is managed and operated by China Automotive Testing Technology Co., Ltd. It is part of China National Machinery Industry Group Co., Ltd. (SINOMACH), a Fortune Global 500 company, and specializes in third-party testing and certification for robots and automation equipment.
The two sides will leverage their strengths in humanoid robot system R&D and in testing and certification to co-build a pilot validation and quality-improvement service platform for core robot components; carry out systematic validation tests on humanoid systems and components; jointly lift the quality of complete humanoids and key parts; and cooperate on standards-setting. They also plan to promote the establishment of a national-level joint laboratory for testing core robot components.
The partners noted that China's humanoid-robot industry is growing quickly, yet quality standards for core components are lagging — driving up coordination costs and hindering standardized applications, which in turn undermines market confidence. The UBTECH–NRT&E Guangzhou tie-up aims to raise the quality of humanoid systems and components, laying the groundwork for mass production and supporting the sector’s high-quality, healthy development.
Since 2025, UBTECH has moved swiftly in humanoid robots, accelerating commercialization and supply-chain integration. On December 26, 2025, the 1,000th Walker S2 industrial humanoid rolled off the line in Liuzhou. The Walker S2 stands 1.76 meters tall, walks with a humanlike gait and performs fine manipulation. It features autonomous battery swapping for 24/7 uninterrupted operation; can stably carry 15 kilograms across a full 0-1.8 meter workspace; and executes demanding maneuvers such as ground-touching, deep squats, long-reach grasping and ±162° waist rotation — enabling humanlike, full-volume operation in industrial settings.
On December 10, UBTECH said it had signed a humanoid-robot sales contract with a leading domestic AI foundation-model company worth more than CNY 50 million, with the Walker S2 — billed as the world's first industrial humanoid with autonomous battery swapping — as the main product.
