Aptiv and Robust.AI Partner to Develop Next-Generation AI-Powered Collaborative Robots for Industrial Automation

Aptiv PLC, a global technology company focused on enabling a safer, greener, and more connected future, and Robust.AI, a leader in AI-driven industrial automation, announced a strategic cooperation to co-develop AI-powered collaborative robots (cobots). This partnership combines Aptiv’s industry-leading portfolio, including Wind River platforms and tools—with Robust.AI’s robotics expertise and human-centered design to accelerate innovation in warehouse and industrial automation.

“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 Javed Khan, Executive Vice President and President of Software, Advanced Safety and User Experience, Aptiv. “By combining Aptiv’s intelligent perception, compute, and software solutions with Robust.AI’s innovative robotics platform, we are accelerating the deployment of scalable, AI-powered solutions that deliver real value across multiple industries.”

Aptiv’s perception portfolio and machine learning technologies will be integrated with the Robust.AI platform to deliver scalable, efficient, and secure robotic workflows. The joint solution will feature:

• Aptiv PULSE™ Sensor – A compact, surround-view camera paired with an ultrashort-range radar, enabling reliable and accurate 360-degree sensing.
• Aptiv Radar ML and Behavior ML – Advanced machine learning technologies for real-time perception and dynamic path planning in complex environments, built on Aptiv’s industry-leading Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)
• Robust.AI’s Platform Architecture – Encompasses advanced, AI-powered optical sensors and decision-making models, real-time simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM), a patented holonomic drive system, a force-sensitive handlebar that instantly transfers control to human operators, and other intuitive features that improve productivity, efficiency, and safety.
• Expanded Proof-of-Concept (PoC) – Leveraging Aptiv compute and Wind River platforms, including the VxWorks real-time operating system (RTOS) and Helix Hypervisor, to deliver best-in-class performance and virtualization, low-latency operation, and enhanced flexibility to support a wide range of system designs.

Robust.AI’s Carter™ is a multi-functional cobot designed to augment existing workforces. Its software-defined functionality delivers the capabilities of three robots—fulfillment picking, point-to-point transport, and mobile sorting—enabling support for multiple workflows on a single platform. With drop-in automation capabilities, Carter delivers rapid and significant productivity gains, along with data-driven insights that optimize workflows, improve warehouse efficiency, and enable continuous learning. This unprecedented flexibility allows customers to dynamically adapt Carter to their facility’s evolving needs.

“Aptiv’s expertise in developing advanced AI models, sensors, and real-time operating systems for autonomous vehicles will enhance Carter’s ability to safely collaborate with human operators in dynamic, close-quarter environments,” said Rodney Brooks, Co-Founder and CTO at Robust.AI. “Integrating these AI-powered capabilities will enable us to leapfrog even other advanced solutions and bring Carter’s enhanced productivity and efficiency benefits to new industries.”

Aptiv’s integration capabilities, global reach, and resilient supply chain enables scalable production of complex systems across diverse markets—proven by the deployment of advanced technologies in millions of vehicles worldwide. This allows Robust.AI to focus on its core strengths—human-centric design and AI-powered workflows—while ensuring solutions are delivered cost-effectively and at scale.