BYD Secretly Develops Humanoid Robot Codename 'Yao-Shun-Yu' as Auto Giants Race Into Embodied AI

BYD Secretly Develops Humanoid Robot Codename 'Yao-Shun-Yu' as Auto Giants Race Into Embodied AI BYD, China's largest electric vehicle manufacturer, has confirmed it is secretly developing humanoid robots under a project codenamed "Yao-Shun-Yu." The revelation came from BYD Executive Vice President Li Ke in a recent interview, shedding light on the automaker's ambitions beyond electric vehicles and into the rapidly emerging field of embodied AI. The project was initiated in 2022 and operates under BYD's 15th Business Unit, which focuses on electronic integration and intelligence. Li Ke highlighted BYD's unique advantages in developing humanoid robots, noting the company's deep expertise in motors, batteries, electronics, precision manufacturing, and chips. The automaker also boasts a 4,000-plus engineer autonomous driving team and plans to invest 100 billion RMB in AI and automotive intelligence initiatives. "The fundamental challenge in this space is that China's robots lack a brain, while US robots have strong brains but weak limbs," Li Ke said. "BYD aims to produce robots that excel in both dimensions." This dual focus on hardware and intelligence differentiates BYD's approach from many competitors who prioritize one over the other. The company is taking a pragmatic approach to production. The final humanoid robot product may not be entirely self-manufactured; BYD could adopt an open platform strategy, allowing third-party components and software integration. This mirrors BYD's "technology fish pond" corporate strategy, where the company prepares a wide range of technologies in advance and deploys them when market conditions are right. BYD would likely serve as its own largest customer for the robots. Potential use cases include deploying the humanoids as store greeters at BYD's expanding retail network and in factory floor roles across its manufacturing facilities. This captive demand provides a concrete revenue pathway that many robotics startups lack. BYD is far from alone in this race. Tesla has begun mass production of its Optimus Gen-3 humanoid robot, with 50 units already deployed at its Shanghai factory. XPeng plans to mass produce its IRON humanoid by the end of 2026, and Li Auto has its own internal project codenamed Nexus. The convergence of automakers into humanoid robotics reflects a broader recognition that the manufacturing and AI capabilities developed for autonomous vehicles transfer naturally to general-purpose robots. As China's largest EV maker doubles down on embodied AI, the distinction between automaker and robotics company continues to blur, with BYD positioning itself at the intersection of both worlds.