A New Turning Point in the Collaborative Robot Market: Analysis of the Global Cobot Ecosystem in 2025
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Rapid Growth and Paradigm Shift in the Collaborative Robot Market
As of November 2025, the global collaborative robot (cobot) market is experiencing unprecedented growth, setting a new standard for manufacturing automation. According to the latest report from the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), the cobot market size is expected to reach $8.9 billion by 2025, marking a 32% increase compared to 2024. This rapid growth signifies a fundamental change across the entire manufacturing ecosystem, beyond mere numerical achievements. Notably, small and medium-sized enterprises, traditionally challenged in adopting automation, are emerging as key drivers in cobot adoption. McKinsey Global Institute’s 2025 report revealed that the adoption rate of cobots by small manufacturers increased by 45% compared to the previous year.
The fundamental evolution of cobot technology underpins this growth. As of 2025, the average return on investment (ROI) period for cobots has been reduced to 14 months, a significant improvement from 18 months in 2023. Universal Robots, headquartered in Odense, Denmark, announced that their latest UR30 series, which handles a payload of 30kg, offers 40% improved precision compared to previous models. The company reported cumulative sales of 75,000 cobots worldwide by the third quarter of 2025. ABB, based in Zurich, Switzerland, maintains its second-place industry position with a 23% market share through its GoFa and SWIFTI cobot lines.
In the Korean market, Doosan Robotics is achieving remarkable results. The company, headquartered in Incheon, recorded a 78% increase in sales in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period the previous year, with overseas exports of the M series cobots accounting for 62% of total sales. The M0617 model from Doosan Robotics achieves a repeatability of ±0.03mm with a 6kg payload, directly competing with KUKA AG’s LBR iisy series from Augsburg, Germany. Rainbow Robotics continues its growth by securing a 15% market share in the domestic market with its RB series developed in Daejeon.
The most prominent technological innovation in the cobot market is the integration with artificial intelligence. As of 2025, most cobots being released come equipped with vision systems and machine learning algorithms as standard. FANUC, based in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, integrated its proprietary FIELD system into the CRX series, enabling real-time learning capabilities. This system provides the ability to detect changes in the work environment and automatically adjust operational patterns. According to FANUC’s third-quarter 2025 results, sales in the cobot sector accounted for 28% of total robotics business revenue, growing 41% compared to the same period the previous year.
Industry Applications and Market Segmentation Trends
The use of cobots in the automotive industry reached a new phase in 2025. Hyundai Motor’s Ulsan plant announced a 23% increase in productivity by introducing 120 cobots to the assembly line at the beginning of 2025, working in collaboration with human workers. The Doosan Robotics M1013 model used in this project features a collision detection system that ensures worker safety while precisely assembling 10kg components. Volkswagen in Wolfsburg, Germany, also deployed 200 KUKA LBR iiwa cobots on the ID series electric vehicle production line, raising the precision of battery pack assembly to 99.7%.
In the electronics manufacturing sector, the fine assembly capabilities of cobots are particularly noteworthy. Samsung Electronics’ Suwon plant introduced 85 HCR series cobots supplied by Hanwha Systems into the smartphone assembly process in the first half of 2025. These cobots perform precise assembly tasks at a 0.1mm level, reducing defect rates by 67% compared to manual labor. Hanwha Systems’ cobot business unit revenue in 2025 is expected to increase by 156% year-on-year, reaching 420 billion won. BYD in Shenzhen, China, also increased the automation rate of PCB assembly processes to 85% by utilizing ABB’s GoFa cobots in its smartphone manufacturing subsidiary.
The adoption of cobots in the food and beverage industry is also rapidly increasing. Nestlé’s Hamburg plant in Germany installed 50 Universal Robots UR16e models on the packaging line, achieving 24-hour continuous operation. This system features an adaptive gripping system that automatically adjusts to various product shapes, reducing reprogramming time from 4 hours to 15 minutes when changing products. Ottogi in Korea announced a 35% improvement in the efficiency of the ramen packaging process by introducing Rainbow Robotics’ RB-Y series at its Anyang plant.
In the medical device manufacturing sector, cobots’ compatibility with cleanrooms and precision are emerging as key requirements. Medtronic in Minnesota, USA, introduced ABB’s IRB 14000 YuMi cobots into the pacemaker assembly process, achieving 99.99% assembly accuracy in an ISO 14644-1 Class 5 cleanroom environment. Siemens Healthineers in Germany also enhanced the production quality of FDA-approved products by utilizing KUKA’s LBR Med cobots on its diagnostic equipment manufacturing line. The cobot market in the medical device sector is estimated to be worth $1.2 billion by 2025, with an average annual growth rate of 28%.
The role of cobots is expanding in the logistics and warehouse automation sector as well. Amazon began the full-scale introduction of the Sparrow cobot system in its global logistics centers in the second half of 2025. This system is capable of recognizing and sorting various types of products, improving processing speed by 40% compared to existing systems. Coupang in Korea also installed 200 picking robots co-developed with Doosan Robotics at its Gimpo logistics center, automating the sorting of small items. This system can process 1,200 items per hour, maintaining 99.2% accuracy compared to human workers.
Technological Innovations and Future Outlook
The most notable advancement in cobot technology in 2025 is the integration of edge AI computing. The latest cobots are equipped with GPUs capable of making real-time decisions locally, enabling them to perform complex tasks without cloud connectivity. Universal Robots’ UR30 is equipped with NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin, capable of processing 275 trillion operations per second (TOPS), sufficient for simultaneous real-time object recognition and path planning. ABB’s GoFa cobots also feature an in-house developed AI chipset that can detect and respond to changes in the work environment within 0.1 seconds.
Advancements in haptic feedback technology have also significantly improved the precision and safety of cobots. Germany’s KUKA integrated high-resolution torque sensors into the LBR iisy series released in 2025, capable of detecting minute forces below 1N·m. This level of delicacy means it can handle an egg without breaking it. Japan’s FANUC applied torque sensors to all six axes of the CRX-25iA model, implementing a system that can detect and stop collisions from any direction within 0.01 seconds.
Remote control and monitoring capabilities through integration with 5G networks are also creating a new turning point in cobot technology. Korea’s Rainbow Robotics collaborated with KT to develop a 5G-based cobot remote control system. This system allows real-time monitoring and remote program updates of cobots installed at manufacturing sites nationwide from a central location. The latency is below 1ms, enabling real-time remote control. Doosan Robotics also provides predictive maintenance services by collecting and analyzing data from over 20,000 cobots installed worldwide through its proprietary cloud platform, ‘Doosan Robotics Cloud.’
Significant progress has also been made in modularity and standardization. As of 2025, most cobot manufacturers offer end effectors and sensor systems that are compatible with each other while complying with ISO/TS 15066 safety standards. This allows users to configure their own cobot systems by combining components from various manufacturers. Switzerland’s ABB launched the open-source-based cobot control software ‘ABB Ability RobotStudio’ in the second half of 2025, creating an environment where third-party developers can freely develop applications.
Improvement in power efficiency is another notable area of development. The average power consumption of the latest cobots is 350W, a 27% reduction from the 480W average of 2023 models. Universal Robots’ UR20 recovers and reuses 85% of the energy generated during deceleration through a regenerative braking system. This improvement in energy efficiency contributes not only to reducing operating costs but also to reducing the carbon footprint, attracting the attention of companies pursuing ESG management.
In terms of market outlook, the cobot industry is expected to maintain an average annual growth rate of over 25% over the next five years. Goldman Sachs’ latest report forecasts that the global cobot market size will reach $24 billion by 2030. Growth in the Asia-Pacific region is expected to be particularly prominent, with Korea and Japan leading technological innovation and China driving mass production and cost efficiency. In terms of investment, cobot-related startups attracted a total of $3.4 billion in investments in the first half of 2025 alone, a 67% increase compared to the same period the previous year. This active investment is accelerating technological innovation and intensifying market competition. The cobot market is expected to establish itself as a core element of a new manufacturing ecosystem where humans and machines truly collaborate, beyond being a mere automation tool.
Disclaimer: This analysis is a general market analysis based on publicly available information and is not investment advice or a recommendation. Investment decisions should be made at one’s own discretion and responsibility, and thorough research and expert consultation are recommended when investing in the stocks of the mentioned companies. Market conditions and company performance may vary.
