BYD Patents Its First Humanoid Robot, the "Embodied AI Robot"

A humanoid robot is a robot designed to resemble the human body — with a head, torso, arms, and legs — capable of walking, keeping its balance, and interacting with its environment. This technology is no longer science fiction: Chinese automotive giant BYD has officially revealed the design of its first in-house humanoid robot.

The move follows the publication of its "Embodied AI Robot" design patent by the China National Intellectual Property Administration on October 9, 2026. The patent describes a smart robot able to walk, maintain balance, and interact with its surroundings, intended for the service, education, and industrial sectors.

The published design shows a slim anthropomorphic aesthetic in a black-and-white color scheme. The robot's head is rounded and curved with no display screen, while its torso, arms, and legs feature many joints. It is said to strongly resemble "Xiao Di" ("Little Di"), a humanoid robot BYD had previously teased.

Xiao Di Specs: 1.61 Meters, 31 Degrees of Freedom

Based on information revealed earlier, the "Xiao Di" model stands 1.61 meters tall and weighs 58.5 kg. The robot features 31 degrees of freedom and dexterous hands with ±1 mm repeat positioning accuracy.

That capability lets it perform tasks such as grasping objects, gesture interaction, and pointing-based explanations. Degrees of freedom measure how many joints a robot can move independently — the more there are, the more fluid its movements, like a human's.

Even so, BYD has not officially confirmed whether the patent refers to the final production model of Xiao Di. What is available so far are the patent images, basic capability descriptions, and previously circulated technical data on Xiao Di.

From Factory to Dealership: BYD's Long-Term Strategy

The move confirms BYD's ambitions in embodied AI, a long-term strategy that began in 2022 with the formation of a dedicated research team. Beyond internal research, BYD invested in Agibot in August 2023 and took a stake in Percibot in April 2025.

The company is also using its own factories as testbeds, including by deploying Ubtech's industrial Walker S1 humanoid at its Changsha plant for material handling and identification tasks. Humanoid robots are projected to help with work requiring high precision, repetitive motions, and tasks risky for human workers.

Going forward, BYD executives have indicated plans to place these robots across the dealer network, with standardized duties such as greeting customers, explaining vehicle features, and demonstrating in-cabin infotainment systems. One caveat: a design patent does not automatically guarantee mass production — BYD has yet to reveal a launch schedule, pricing, or final specifications.