Unitree Unveils $650,000 9-Foot Humanoid Robot With Human Cockpit as China Pushes Elder-Care Bots
Updated
Updated · NBC News · May 15
Unitree Unveils $650,000 9-Foot Humanoid Robot With Human Cockpit as China Pushes Elder-Care Bots
6 articles · Updated · NBC News · May 15
Unitree Robotics this week introduced the GD01, a nearly 9-foot humanoid robot that can carry a person in a cockpit and switch from two legs to four.
Priced at $650,000, the machine weighs more than 1,100 pounds with a rider aboard, and Unitree says it is the first robot of its kind.
The launch comes as Chinese robotics firms showcase faster progress, from more advanced Lunar New Year gala performances to a Beijing robot half-marathon where more than 100 machines competed.
Beijing has made robotics a national priority under its latest five-year plan, betting humanoid machines can help offset labor strains from China’s rapidly aging population.
Experts say the bigger hurdle is still software, not appearance: robots need far better autonomy and much more real-world training data before they can reliably handle household or industrial work.
Is China's $1 trillion robot push a tech leap or a fix for its demographic crisis?
As China masters robot hardware, can it close the critical AI software gap with the West?
Unitree GD01 Rideable Mecha Launch: China’s Robotics Giant Secures 26% Global Market Share in 2025
Overview
On May 12, 2026, Unitree officially unveiled its GD01 rideable mecha, marking a major milestone in personal robotics. The announcement, highlighted by a one-minute video on social media, quickly captured public attention. While Unitree shared only limited technical details, they issued a strong safety notice, stressing that humanoid robotics is still experimental and warning users against risky modifications or extreme tests. The company has not yet released further specifications, underlining the GD01’s early stage and the need for caution. This launch signals both excitement and the challenges ahead for advanced personal robotics.