SEER Robotics, founded by a three-time RoboCup world champion team, specializes in intelligent controllers and digital software. The company independently develops core technologies and has established strategic partnerships with over 1,200 integrators and car manufacturers. Their ecosystem includes more than 2,000 partners across the supply chain, fostering the growth of mobile robotics.
Interview with Miya Gong, Head of Global Marketing and Business at SEER Robotics.
Easy Engineering: A brief description of the company and its activities.
Miya Gong: For intelligent manufacturing integrators, we offer a unique product portfolio of “intelligent controllers + mobile robots + digital software.” Our “Brain & Chain” product strategy aims to help partners easily build autonomous vehicles, enhancing manufacturing efficiency and competitiveness.
Brain: Intelligent controllers and digital software, following our principle of supporting customized applications with standardized products. We provide comprehensive controllers and user-friendly software to lower the barriers to manufacturing mobile robots.
Chain: The mobile robot supply chain, with controllers as the value hub, promotes the standardization of components like sensors, actuators, and power systems, improving design and manufacturing efficiency.
E.E: What are the main areas of activity of the company?
M.G: Our products and services are available in over 50 countries, serving various industries including automotive parts, semiconductors, 3C, lithium batteries, photovoltaics, and healthcare. Notably, the automotive parts industry is a significant part of our business, accounting for 25% of our total operations, with clients like FAW-Volkswagen, BOSCH, Ford, and Weichai Power. Additionally, photovoltaics, lithium batteries, 3C, and semiconductors each represent 18% of our business.
E.E: What’s the news about new products/services?
M.G: SEER Robotics continuously focuses on independent core technology development, achieving breakthroughs in positioning and navigation technology in recent years. In 2023, we improved our product positioning accuracy from the industry standard ±5mm to ±2mm, successfully applied in the SRC-3000FS safety controller for forklifts and the SRC-2000-F(S) controller. In May 2024, we introduced a leading 3D feature positioning solution, enhancing robot stability in high-variability environments.
At the end of May, we will launch new robot series products, including a general-purpose mobile robot chassis, small payload lifting robots (400kg, 600kg), ground-handling intelligent forklifts (1.6T, 2T, 3T), stacker intelligent forklifts (1.5T), and counterbalance intelligent forklifts (3T). These new products aim to offer a comprehensive selection, eliminating barriers to mobile robot adoption and application.
E.E: What are the ranges of products/services?
M.G: Our main product, AMR controllers, connects our hardware and software products. Currently, we offer five controllers: the entry-level SRC-880, the general-purpose SRC-2000-I(S), the forklift-specific SRC-2000-F(S), the safety SRC-3000FS, and the forklift safety SRC-3000FS.
We also provide a diverse range of mobile robots and digital software products, including the M4, RDS, and visualization products. The M4 system integrates RCS, WCS, and WMS functions, reducing system integration and maintenance costs, breaking data silos, and enabling one-stop intelligent logistics management. The RDS, not only the fleet management system, but also the system manages all factory robots and automated logistics equipment, offering coordinated planning and intelligent scheduling with enhanced safety and lower learning and development thresholds. Our visualization products, such as Meta-Map and Meta-Map Pro, leverage data visualization technology for factory digitization.
We continuously innovate and plan to release new robot controllers and enrich our robot product library, including humanoid, wheeled, and legged robots.
E.E: What is the state of the market where you are currently active?
M.G: In recent years, China’s mobile robot market has remained active, despite the global economic downturn slowing overall market growth. In 2023, the Chinese market shipped 54,000 mobile robots, a 10% increase from the previous year. Despite the slower growth, the number of new entrants continues to rise, indicating strong demand and increasing competition. From 2021 to 2023, the number of companies entering the mobile robot field grew threefold annually, signaling a robust market demand and intense competition.
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?
M.G: As market competition intensifies, technological gaps are narrowing, and supply chain strength will become a key competitive factor. Companies that can establish a complete mobile robot production system, offering customers one-stop solutions and services, will hold a competitive advantage. We have built an open platform centered around intelligent controllers, sharing supply chain resources with partners to achieve growth.
The robot control technology in China is rapidly iterating, surpassing European technologies and gaining global market share. SEER Robotics leads the Chinese market in controller shipments and is accelerating its global market expansion.
E.E: What are the most innovative products/services marketed?
M.G: Our one-stop vehicle manufacturing solution, based on our extensive customer service experience, provides hundreds of mature, mass-producible vehicle manufacturing solutions tailored to industrial logistics scenarios. We offer comprehensive multilingual documentation and a knowledge base to support customers in vehicle manufacturing, making the process smoother and more professional.
The solution includes systematic vehicle manufacturing support, offering core controllers, complete vehicle manufacturing components, and the one-stop implementation tool Roboshop, making it accessible to both beginners and professional engineers. The SRC controller, paired with the Robokit mobile robot operating system, delivers advanced features, handling complex logistics scenarios with ease and enhancing vehicle manufacturing solutions.
We have also adapted to over 90% of mainstream component manufacturers and are developing high-performance proprietary components, ensuring a seamless component selection process for vehicle manufacturing.
E.E: What estimations do you have for 2024?
M.G: The robot market will continue to expand, finding applications across more industries, with sustained growth across all sectors. The trend towards humanoid robots will intensify, with many mobile robot companies and even large internet companies entering the humanoid robot space. The globalization process will accelerate, with leading Chinese mobile robot companies expanding their global business and integrating domestic and international technologies.
