BYD unveils 5.2-feet-tall Xiao Di humanoid robot on showroom floors in China

Chinese EV maker BYD is bringing its humanoid robot into its car showrooms in the country, putting the machine directly in front of customers. The rollout comes days after the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) moved to block new imports of foreign-made advanced robots, including humanoids, citing national security concerns. Xiao Di will debut at BYD’s Di Space experience centers in cities including Zhengzhou, Shenzhen and Shanghai. The move comes as BYD faces a fourth consecutive month of declining domestic car sales, underscoring its growing interest in humanoid robotics and other emerging technologies. Recently, BYD released its progress with “God’s Eye” intelligent driving platform, aiming to improve road safety by using AI, cameras, radar and sensors to reduce human driving errors. BYD has debuted its Xiao Di humanoid robot at its Di Space experience centers in China, beginning with Zhengzhou, followed by Shenzhen and Shanghai. According to details reported by Sina, Xiao Di is 5.2 feet (1.61 meters) tall and weighs 128 pounds (58 kilograms). The robot has 31 degrees of freedom, including seven in its hands, and is designed for customer-facing tasks such as greeting visitors, explaining vehicle models and answering questions. It supports six Chinese dialects and six foreign languages and includes facial recognition, gesture recognition and lip-reading capabilities, reports Startup Fortune. BYD aims to deploy two or three robots in every BYD store. The robots could explain vehicles, entertain customers and demonstrate features, with showroom deployment potentially possible within one or two years. The planned use of Xiao Di focuses on retail applications rather than industrial or household tasks. BYD’s existing showroom network could provide a large-scale environment for deploying and testing humanoid robots as customer-service assistants. Another Chinese EV maker, Xpeng, plans to scale production of its Iron humanoid robot to over 1,000 units monthly by the end of 2026. The company will deploy the robots as sales assistants in Chinese showrooms in Q1 2027, followed by a global rollout to overseas stores later that year. Robotics expansion BYD’s decision to bring its Xiao Di humanoid robot into Chinese showrooms comes as the US tightens restrictions on foreign-made advanced robots, highlighting the growing divide between the two countries’ approaches to the technology. The US FCC added foreign-produced advanced robotic devices, including humanoid and quadruped robots, to its Covered List on July 28. The move affects new models requiring FCC authorization for import, marketing or sale in the US, while previously authorized devices can continue to be sold and used. The FCC cited potential national security and critical infrastructure risks linked to connected robots equipped with cameras, sensors and network capabilities. China criticized the decision, accusing Washington of politicizing trade and technology and imposing restrictions on what it described as unfounded security concerns. The timing gives added significance to BYD’s Xiao Di rollout. The 1.61-meter humanoid is being introduced at Di Space experience centers in China, with the company planning to use robots for customer-facing tasks such as explaining vehicles and demonstrating features. BYD is also looking for growth as its domestic vehicle market weakens. Reuters reported that June global sales rose 5.5 percent year over year to 403,472 vehicles, while domestic sales fell 22 percent. In the first half, BYD sold 1,808,511 new energy vehicles, down 15.72 percent from a year earlier, while overseas sales rose 70.65 percent, reports Startup Fortune. For BYD, Xiao Di therefore represents both a robotics experiment and a potential new role for its extensive showroom network. Get the latest in engineering, tech, space & science - delivered daily to your inbox.Jijo is an automotive and business journalist based in India. Armed with a BA in History (Honors) from St. Stephen's College, Delhi University, and a PG diploma in Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Delhi, he has worked for news agencies, national newspapers, and automotive magazines. In his spare time, he likes to go off-roading, engage in political discourse, travel, and teach languages.