Renault to Deploy 350 Wandercraft Humanoid Robots Across Factories, Targeting 30 Percent Cut in Production Hours
Renault Group will deploy 350 Calvin-40 humanoid robots built by French startup Wandercraft across its manufacturing facilities within 18 months, beginning at its Douai EV plant where the headless bipedal machines are already hauling tires and panels on the production line.
Overview
Renault Group announced on March 10 that it will deploy 350 humanoid robots across its manufacturing facilities within 18 months, in what amounts to one of the largest confirmed orders for humanoid robots in the automotive sector. The robots, built by Paris-based startup Wandercraft, are already operational at Renault’s Douai plant in northern France, where they handle tires and body panels on the electric vehicle assembly line.
The announcement, made during Renault’s “futuREady” strategic plan presentation, positions the deployment as a cornerstone of the automaker’s broader push to reduce production costs by 20 percent and cut production hours per vehicle by 30 percent.
The Calvin-40 Robot
The Calvin-40 is a headless bipedal humanoid that can lift up to 40 kilograms several hundred times per day without rest. Developed by Wandercraft in approximately 40 days, the robot draws on the company’s decade of experience building medical exoskeletons for patients with mobility impairments.
The design omits a head deliberately. Waist-mounted cameras and sensors provide the robot with spatial awareness, while the lower profile allows it to operate under equipment and between shelving that would obstruct taller machines. Modular end effectors, including suction cups, grippers, and dexterous manipulators, can be swapped depending on the task. LED indicators on the body communicate the robot’s operational status to nearby workers.
The first Calvin prototype was deployed at Douai in April 2025. Within six months, Wandercraft doubled the machine’s operating speed through AI-based training, producing the second-generation Calvin-40 by October 2025.
Current Factory Operations
At the Douai plant, which produces the Renault 5 and Scenic electric vehicles, the Calvin-40 currently handles physically demanding tasks that Renault classifies as painful and non-ergonomic. Its primary assignment is placing tires on conveyor belts feeding the assembly line. The robot also carries body panels through the factory’s body shop.
Thierry Charvet, Renault’s Chief Industry and Quality Officer, described the robot’s role in pragmatic terms. “Calvin is already operational on the tire handling line,” he said. He added that the partnership allows Renault “to accelerate automation and develop robots for specific auto industrial use, concentrating people on value-adding tasks.”
The robot is not deployed on the final assembly line, where speed and manual dexterity requirements exceed its current capabilities. “There are no robots replacing people on the final assembly line,” Charvet noted.
Wandercraft Partnership and Funding
Renault acquired a minority stake in Wandercraft in June 2025, investing $75 million as part of the startup’s Series D funding round. Founded in 2012, Wandercraft built its core technology around self-balancing walking systems for medical exoskeletons before pivoting to industrial applications with the Calvin line.
Matthieu Masselin, Wandercraft’s CEO, characterized the 350-unit order as a defining moment. “This partnership will boost our ability to build and scale high-impact, low-cost robotics that improve everyday lives,” he said, framing the industrial deployment as complementary to the company’s continuing medical exoskeleton work.
The partnership includes a co-development agreement to design future Calvin variants specifically for automotive manufacturing, leveraging Renault’s expertise in high-volume production to drive down unit costs.
Strategic Context
The 350-robot deployment is part of Renault’s “Excellence-ready” manufacturing strategy, which targets a 20 percent reduction in production costs, a 25 percent decrease in energy consumption, and a 50 percent reduction in factory interruptions. Renault has already brought production time for the Renault 5 and Twingo EVs to under 10 hours per vehicle.
Renault Group CEO Francois Provost drew a contrast with competitors who showcase humanoid robots at trade events. “Lots of companies are using humanoids for a display at the Consumer Electronics Show; we like to put them on the line,” he said.
The announcement adds to an accelerating pattern of humanoid robot adoption across the automotive industry. BMW began deploying Hexagon Robotics’ AEON humanoid at its Leipzig plant in Germany earlier this month, following a ten-month pilot with Figure AI at its Spartanburg facility. Xiaomi reported a 90.2 percent success rate for autonomous nut installation using its own humanoid robots on an EV assembly line in China. Mercedes-Benz has partnered with Apptronik for logistics tasks at its Tuscaloosa facility.
Renault’s approach differs from most competitors in its emphasis on function over form. Where companies like Tesla, BMW, and Hyundai are investing in general-purpose humanoids with advanced AI and dexterous manipulation, Renault has opted for a purpose-built machine designed around specific industrial tasks, prioritizing payload capacity and reliability over cognitive sophistication.