What more is that these humanoid Aimoga robots will soon be available for purchase later this year.
Not to be left out in the race that every Chinese automaker seems to have recently joined, Chery has since been the latest to announce its collaboration with Deepseek. Though far from leveraging the AI specialist’s models for use in its cars, Chery is going one step further to use its tech in its Aimoga robots instead.
The company’s Aimoga Robotics research and development team has recently formed a technical partnership with Deepseek to leverage their advanced models, in the aim to enhance the voice interaction capabilities of Aimoga robots. Chery claims that this recently formed partnership builds upon the company’s established Lion AI Large Model and intelligent cockpit system, representing the latest development in its 15-year journey in AI technology.
Chery’s Aimoga robots have integrated DeepSeek’s V2, V3, and R1 open-source models into their robot cloud platform, powering the interaction systems for its store marketing robots. Real-world trials of Chery’s robot hardware are set to begins soon, moving beyond simulations and controlled environments to assess performance, functionality, and reliability in real-world conditions.
Chery’s venture into AI began in 2010, strategically building an intelligent interconnected technology base in collaboration with industry leaders such as Baidu and iFlytek. The 2018 launch of CheryLion marked its full entry into the AI domain. In 2020 meanwhile, the Chinese automaker initiated a dedicated research and development programme for humanoid robots, culminating in the global debut of its robot brand Aimoga and its self-developed robots and robotic pets in 2023.
In 2024, Chery announced a mass production plan for Aimoga robots, with an investment of RMB100 million (RM60 million). The company further touts that it plans to begin selling its humanoid robots in its overseas markets in the first half of 2025, initially focusing on car sales assistance.
As global tech giants vie for AI computing dominance, the Chery Aimoga robotics team recognises DeepSeek’s utilisation of NVIDIA H800 chips, providing complete transparency in model weights and training logs under the MIT open-source protocol. This cost-effective and open approach aligns perfectly with Chery’s research and development philosophy: ‘technology for the benefit of all.’
Last year, the Chery Group achieved record-breaking annual sales of 2,603,916 vehicles, a 38.4% year-on-year increase, with exports reaching 1,144,588 units, up 21.4% from 2023. The automaker’s products are now sold in over 80 countries and regions worldwide, with them incidentally being 5th best-selling car brand locally last year.
