Aptiv PLC, a global technology leader in software-defined and safe, connected mobility, has announced a strategic collaboration with Robust.AI to co-develop AI-powered collaborative robots (cobots) for warehouse and industrial automation. The partnership blends Aptiv’s strengths in perception systems, edge compute, machine learning and real-time software platforms with Robust.AI’s expertise in robotics and human-centric automation.
The collaboration will integrate Aptiv’s perception portfolio and machine learning technologies—including the Aptiv PULSE surround-view sensor, Radar ML, and Behavior ML—with Robust.AI’s platform, which features advanced optical sensing, real-time mapping (SLAM), a patented holonomic drive system and a force-sensitive handlebar that allows instant handover to a human operator. Using Aptiv’s Wind River compute platforms, including the VxWorks real-time operating system and Helix Hypervisor, the solution aims to deliver fast, efficient and secure automation for complex warehouse environments.
Robust.AI’s Carter cobot, capable of fulfillment picking, point-to-point transport and mobile sorting, will be enhanced through this integration. Designed to work safely alongside human workers, Carter offers rapid deployment, data-driven workflow optimisation and scalability across a wide range of industries.
“Aptiv, together with our strategic partners, is enabling the future of the intelligent edge through technologies that sense, think, act and optimize in real time,” said Mr. Javed Khan, Executive Vice President and President, Software, Advanced Safety and User Experience at Aptiv. He added that combining Aptiv’s perception and compute with Robust.AI’s platform accelerates the rollout of scalable AI-powered automation.
Mr. Rodney Brooks, Co-Founder and CTO at Robust.AI, said that Aptiv’s expertise in advanced AI models, sensing and real-time software will significantly advance Carter’s ability to operate safely and efficiently in dynamic environments.
With Aptiv’s global production scale and Robust.AI’s focus on human-centric robotic workflows, the partnership aims to unlock the next phase of automation—making AI-enabled cobots more adaptable, capable and cost-effective for warehouses and industrial facilities worldwide.