The Rapid Growth of the Collaborative Robot Market and Manufacturing Innovation: Analysis of Global Cobot Trends in 2026
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Explosive Growth of the Collaborative Robot Market and Changes in the Industrial Ecosystem
At the beginning of 2026, the global collaborative robot (cobot) market is entering an unprecedented growth trajectory, marking a new turning point in manufacturing automation. According to the latest report by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), the global cobot market size reached $1.8 billion in 2025 and is projected to increase by 32% year-on-year to $2.38 billion in 2026. This figure significantly surpasses the overall industrial robot market growth rate of 12%, indicating that cobots are emerging from a niche market to become mainstream automation solutions. Notably, over 70% of companies adopting cobots are small and medium-sized enterprises with fewer than 500 employees. This signifies a democratization of robotic automation, which was previously centered around large corporations, now spreading to smaller manufacturers.
Universal Robots, headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, remains the dominant force in the cobot market. As of the fourth quarter of 2025, the company held a 45% share of the global cobot market and announced cumulative sales exceeding 750,000 units. Their latest UR20 model boasts a 20kg payload capacity with a 30% improvement in precision compared to previous models. Achieving a repeatability of ±0.03mm, it is expanding its application range in precision assembly tasks. Universal Robots’ revenue in 2025 increased by 28% year-on-year to $720 million, with notable growth in the Asia-Pacific region.
In the Korean market, Hyundai Robotics and Doosan Robotics are engaged in fierce competition. Hyundai Robotics achieved cobot sales of 280 billion won in 2025, marking a 45% growth year-on-year. The company’s H-Series cobots are initially applied to production lines within the Hyundai Motor Group and, once validated, are expanded to external clients. Notably, the H-Series’ collision detection technology boasts an industry-leading response time of 0.01 seconds, ensuring safe collaboration with human workers. Meanwhile, Doosan Robotics is expanding its market share by offering various payload options through its M-Series and H-Series. In 2025, the company’s cobot shipments increased by 52% year-on-year to 8,500 units, with overseas sales accounting for over 40%.
ABB, headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, is strengthening its position in the cobot market with its GoFa and SWIFTI series. ABB’s differentiation strategy lies in developing high-performance cobots based on its existing industrial robot expertise. The GoFa series handles up to 5kg payloads while achieving a high working speed of 2.2m per second. This represents a 40% performance improvement over existing cobots, attracting the interest of manufacturers pursuing both productivity and safety. ABB’s robotics division revenue in 2025 reached $2.8 billion, with cobots accounting for 15%, or $420 million.
Japan’s FANUC and Yaskawa Electric are also accelerating their entry into the cobot market. FANUC expanded its cobot lineup by launching a new model of the CRX series in the second half of 2025. The company’s strength lies in applying decades of accumulated industrial robot control technology to cobots, particularly demonstrating competitive advantages in force control and path planning algorithms. Yaskawa Electric entered the dual-arm cobot market with its HC10DT model, which is highly regarded for its utility in complex assembly tasks. Both companies recorded over 40% growth in cobot sales in 2025 compared to the previous year.
Technological Innovation and Expansion of Application Areas
The most notable change in the cobot market in 2026 is the full-scale integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technologies. The latest cobots are beginning to possess the ability to perceive and adapt to their environment, beyond simple programmed tasks. Solutions developed through Universal Robots’ UR AI Accelerator program, combined with vision systems, can automatically recognize and process irregularly shaped parts. This technological advancement is expanding the application range of cobots from simple repetitive tasks to quality inspection, packaging, and even creative tasks. According to market research firm ABI Research, the market share of AI-enabled cobots is expected to increase from 25% in 2025 to 35% in 2026.
The use of cobots in the automotive industry is particularly noteworthy. At Audi’s Ingolstadt plant in Germany, 120 cobots are currently working alongside human workers on the final assembly line. These cobots handle tasks such as heavy part transportation, precise bolt tightening, and quality inspection, reducing musculoskeletal disorders among workers by 40%. At Hyundai Motor’s Ulsan plant, 80 units of Hyundai Robotics’ H-Series cobots are deployed in door panel assembly and seat installation tasks, improving work efficiency by 25%. As these success stories become known, other automakers are actively considering the adoption of cobots.
The role of cobots is also expanding in the electronics manufacturing industry. At Samsung Electronics’ Suwon plant, Doosan Robotics’ M-Series cobots are responsible for precision component assembly on the smartphone assembly line. They demonstrate stable performance even in tasks requiring precision below 0.1mm, reducing defect rates by 15% compared to previous levels. LG Electronics’ Changwon plant is also introducing cobots on its home appliance assembly line to enhance productivity. In particular, cobots are responsible for transporting heavy compressors and installing them accurately in the air conditioner outdoor unit assembly process, significantly reducing the burden on workers.
The use of cobots in the food and pharmaceutical industries is also noteworthy. Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk has introduced 15 units of Universal Robots’ UR3e model on its insulin pen assembly line, establishing a 24-hour uninterrupted production system. In an environment that requires high cleanliness and precision due to the nature of medical devices, cobots operate stably, increasing production by 30%. In Korea, CJ CheilJedang is promoting the automation of packaging work by introducing cobots on its Hetbahn production line. Cobots combined with vision systems show high success rates even in handling irregularly shaped packaging materials, contributing to reducing reliance on human labor.
The role of cobots is also expanding in the logistics and warehouse automation sectors. Amazon began pilot deployment of a cobot named Sparrow in its warehouses starting in 2025. This cobot is responsible for recognizing and sorting products of various sizes and shapes, improving the efficiency of existing pick-and-pack operations by 50%. In Korea, Coupang is utilizing Doosan Robotics’ cobots for small product sorting tasks at its Gimpo logistics center. They process an average of 50,000 products per day, maintaining a misclassification rate of less than 0.1%.
Market Challenges and Future Outlook
Despite the rapid growth of the cobot market, several challenges remain. The biggest issue is still the high initial adoption cost. The price of a basic cobot ranges from $50,000 to $100,000, making it difficult for small and medium-sized enterprises to access. Additionally, the lack of skilled personnel required for cobot operation is a barrier to market expansion. According to a survey by the Korea Institute for Robot Industry Advancement, 65% of domestic manufacturers cited a shortage of robot operation experts as a major obstacle to cobot adoption. In response, each cobot manufacturer is increasing investment in developing no-code programming solutions. Universal Robots’ PolyScope software and Doosan Robotics’ Dart Platform are representative examples, allowing intuitive control of cobots without specialized knowledge.
Safety regulations and standardization issues also remain challenges to be addressed. Different safety standards and certification procedures in each country restrict the global expansion of cobots. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) provides safety standards for cobots through ISO 10218 and ISO/TS 15066, but detailed regulations still vary by country. Different certification processes, such as the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements, the European Union’s CE marking requirements, and Korea’s KC certification, must be navigated. This complexity poses a significant burden, especially for small cobot manufacturers, raising market entry barriers.
Nevertheless, the long-term outlook for the cobot market is very bright. According to the latest report by McKinsey, the global cobot market is expected to maintain an average annual growth rate of 25% until 2030, reaching a size of $12 billion. Growth in the Asia-Pacific region is expected to be particularly prominent, driven by the modernization of manufacturing in China and India, Japan’s response to an aging population, and Korea’s smart factory policies. In the Chinese market, the number of cobot installations reached 250,000 units in 2025, a 60% increase year-on-year, and is expected to exceed 400,000 units in 2026.
From a technological perspective, advancements in 5G communication and edge computing are expected to elevate cobot performance to the next level. Real-time data processing and integration with cloud-based AI services are expected to significantly enhance cobots’ learning capabilities and adaptability. Additionally, the combination with digital twin technology will allow simulation and optimization of cobot operations in virtual environments, enabling pre-deployment validation and improved operational efficiency. Companies like Siemens and Dassault Systèmes are actively developing digital twin solutions for cobots.
From an investment perspective, the stock prices of cobot-related companies recorded an average increase of 35% throughout 2025. Doosan Robotics, in particular, saw a 165% increase, achieving the highest return, while Hyundai Robotics rose by 78%. Internationally, Teradyne, the parent company of Universal Robots, increased by 45%, and ABB by 28%. This stock price increase reflects investors’ expectations for the growth potential of the cobot market. Venture capital and private equity funds are also increasing their investments in cobot startups, with global cobot-related investments exceeding $1.5 billion in 2025.
In conclusion, the collaborative robot market in 2026 is expected to maintain a continuous growth trajectory, driven by factors such as technological innovation, expansion of application areas, and improvements in cost efficiency. The advancement of AI and machine learning technologies will further broaden the scope of cobot applications, spreading the benefits of automation to small and medium-sized enterprises and contributing to overall competitiveness in manufacturing. Korean companies must actively engage in technology development and market expansion in line with these global trends. The growth of the cobot market is expected to act as a key driver not only for the advancement of the robotics industry but also for the digital transformation of manufacturing and the implementation of smart factories.
**Disclaimer**: This analysis is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell. Investment decisions should be made at the discretion and responsibility of individual investors.
