Automakers in the U.S. have invested in more automation than any other sector, but the country barely cracks the top 10, according to the IFR.
Total installations of industrial robots in the U.S. automotive sector increased by 10.7%, reaching 13,700 units in 2024, according to preliminary results reported by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR).
“The United States has one of the most automated car industries in the world. The ratio of robots to factory workers ranks fifth, tied with Japan and Germany and ahead of China,” says Takayuki Ito, President of the International Federation of Robotics. “This is a great achievement of modernization. However, in other key areas of manufacturing automation, the US lags behind its competitors.”
The majority of industrial robots deployed in the U.S. are imports from overseas, as there are few robot manufacturers producing there. Globally, 70% of robots are produced by four countries: Japan, China, Germany and South Korea.
Within this group, Chinese manufacturers are the most dynamic, with production for their huge domestic market more than tripling from 2019 to 2023. This puts them in second place after Japan and is driven by the country’s national robotics strategy. Its manufacturing industry installed about 280,000 units per year between 2021 and 2023, compared to a total of 34,300 installations in the United States in 2024.
In China, robotics and automation are penetrating all levels of production, resulting in a robot density of 470 robots per 10,000 employees in manufacturing—the third highest in the world, surpassing Germany and Japan in 2023.
China’s National Development and Reform Commission in March 2025 established a state-backed venture capital fund focused on robotics, AI and cutting-edge innovation. The long-term fund is expected to attract nearly 1 trillion yuan (US$138 billion) in capital from local governments and the private sector over the next 20 years. This initiative aims to continue China’s technology-driven manufacturing:
The U.S. ranks tenth among the world’s most automated manufacturing countries with a robot density of 295 robots per 10,000 employees. The country’s automation is heavily concentrated in the automotive sector with about 40% of all new industrial robot installations in 2024.
This is followed by the metal and machinery industry with 3,800 units, representing a market share of 11%. Installations in the US electrical and electronics industry has a market share of 9% with 2,900 units sold.
