A small robot, humming light crisp music, glides nimbly past workers on site and smoothly transports several auto parts to the next workstation. This is not a futuristic scene depicted by renowned science fiction writer Isaac Asimov. It is a real Industry 4.0 production setup witnessed by reporters during an on-site visit to the Volkswagen plant in Bratislava, capital of Slovakia. Robots take part in the manufacturing of vehicles ranging from Volkswagen Touareg and Audi A8 to Porsche Cayenne here.

An industrial robot refers to a widely applicable mechanical device capable of autonomous movement and multi-axis coordinated motion. It may be equipped with sensors when necessary and operates without external human intervention. Usually fitted with manipulators, cutting tools or other attachable processing tools, it can perform handling, processing and manufacturing tasks. At present, industrial robots have been widely adopted in modern manufacturing sectors including automobiles, electronics and information products.