Chinese carmaker Chery using DeepSeek-driven humanoid robots as showroom sales staff
- Reference: 1745989517
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2025/04/30/chery_aimoga_robotic_salespeople/
- Source link:
Chery established a robotics division in mid-2024 and has since shown off a humanoid robot it calls AIMOGA – an acronym that stands for Artificial Intelligence with Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm.
AIMOGA can walk, understand human speech (thanks to integration with DeepSeek’s AI models) and respond in 10 languages. Chery says the bot possesses a “human-like motion library” that “enhances interactions, offering users a more natural and engaging experience.”
[1]
Chery’s Instagram used the image below to lure the AIMOGA-curious to its stand at the recent Shanghai Auto show.
[2]
Chery’s depiction of its Aimoga humanoid robot - Click to enlarge
A shot an actual AIMOGA unit at the show is a little less airbrushed.
[3]
Chery Aimoga humanoid robot - Click to enlarge
A [4]vid depicting the bot appeared around a year ago and shows it accompanying a woman around a car showroom. The bot walks slowly and speaks – well – robotically as it runs through a list of features found in cars on the floor.
The more recent vid below shows more fluid movement, especially of the arms.
[5]
[6]
[7]Youtube Video
[8]AI-driven 20-ft robots coming for construction workers' jobs
[9]Tesla's Optimus can't roll without rare earth magnets, and Beijing ain't budging yet
[10]iRobot may be iDead in iYear
[11]Robots in schools, care homes next? This UK biz hopes to make that happen
Chery says the bot has 41 degrees of freedom (a simple elbow joint has one degree) across all its parts at 12 degrees of freedom per hand) and “is capable of performing intricate, human-like operations with remarkable precision.”
We’re told the bot can walk at a one meter per second and possesses a five-way sensor matrix that allows for “centimeter-level obstacle avoidance and dynamic path planning in intricate environments.”
A “silicone bionic face” rounds out the AIMOGA package.
[12]
Chery’s sent AIMOGA to work at its flagship “4S” showrooms in Malaysia and has hinted at doing the same in other countries.
What a time to be alive. ®
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[1] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/aiml&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2aBJJMDQbt4g4drLco6-b6AAAARc&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[2] https://regmedia.co.uk/2025/04/30/supplied_chery_aimoga.jpg
[3] https://regmedia.co.uk/2025/04/30/supplied_chery_aimoga2.jpg
[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QEY_kThRjY
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/aiml&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aBJJMDQbt4g4drLco6-b6AAAARc&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/aiml&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33aBJJMDQbt4g4drLco6-b6AAAARc&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[7] https://youtu.be/QuzS4hGYpkc?si=auR-CeUNMOPwNmvI
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2025/04/26/aipowered_robots_construction/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2025/04/23/tesla_optimus_china/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2025/03/12/roomba_maker_irobot_unlikely_survive/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2025/01/27/engineered_arts_robots_interview/
[12] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/aiml&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aBJJMDQbt4g4drLco6-b6AAAARc&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[13] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: I think we'll find
You're right. I still have problems working out if Musk is a robot or not. The total lack of emotions suggest he is, but the uncanny valley effect gets in my way.
:)
How many of them do they have?
I'm betting one, maybe two. These are not easy or cheap to make.
Re: How many of them do they have?
Well, they ARE in China which has quite a lot of resources for mass production..
Yeah, I like Parus major
but... well... Barbiebots... nah, I'm good.
If they don't have SMGs in their, ehm, rack (like Iszi fantasiezed about in a Sunday Supplement episode) it's just... vaguely girly shaped for no reason other than just to lure in the fat sweaty nerds. I'm not saying they don't do that successfully (form follows function, et c.), I'm just doubting the neccessity. It's again that, as described in Coupling, all technical progress was made by males to look at females butts, be they real or in this case made of metal and plastics.
Make them more Dalek shaped! That's what we really want! Not Cylons with boobs.
Re: Yeah, I like Parus major
"Make them more Dalek shaped!"
Customer: Nah, sorry, I don't want to buy one of your cars.
Robot: Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate!
Re: Yeah, I like Parus major
Let's not forget the DeepSeek part...
"Oh, you don't want to buy one of our cars? Are you quite sure? Do you mind if I ask, is that because you don't understand how great they are, maybe I can take you through it again? Or is it simply because you're not in a financial position to do so right now? The fact that you made the effort to come over here and look at our stand must mean you have some interest, right? If you like, we can discuss your life choices together with a view to exploring possibilities you may not have considered, and we might discover that you can after all put yourself in a position to purchase..."
"Look, I don't drive, okay?"
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. May I ask, have you ever learned to drive before and is it something you've ever considered taking up? It's really not as daunting as it looks, and our cars make it even easier with their super duper XYZ features..."
"I'm medically unfit to drive."
"Oh, what a pity. Never mind. One day our AI will be able to drive you around, but that's not quite ready yet. In the meantime, although you yourself are not currently in a position to be a driver, perhaps you can still take away a good impression of our cars and mention them in conversations with friends and family, or if you write any blog posts or speak with any journalists. I can help you to remember the main points and I'm sure you make a great little ambassador for our great company. To begin with..."
"Look, I was just curious about the robot, okay?"
"Of course! Your curiosity is quite understandable. Did you know, .... (5000 words)"
Re: Yeah, I like Parus major
That's eerily reminiscent of the E.ON rep who cold-called me the other day to hard-sell a smart meter. Hmm, I wonder....
Re: Yeah, I like Parus major
Make them like ED-209 then.
"You have 20 seconds to complete the purchase"
"You have now 15 seconds to comply"
...
Re: Yeah, I like Parus major
> Make them more Dalek shaped! That's what we really want! Not Cylons with boobs.
Can we perhaps compromise on Leelu out of Futurama?
What was the quote from Star Trek?
"I am fully functional"
Re: What was the quote from Star Trek?
I think the one from the series Lexx would be more appropriate: "I am a robot that wants to live in your underpants"
Re: What was the quote from Star Trek?
'Your plastic pal who's fun to be with'
Re: What was the quote from Star Trek?
"I like this car but can I have it without the onboard AI?"
"Norman - coordinate!"
Waiting for the day when …
“it” can tie its own shoelaces which I surmise is the first complex series of movements we learn as infants.
When it can do that, I’m sold.
Re: Waiting for the day when …
Yes, but then they invented velcro shoe-fixings...
Re: Waiting for the day when …
"tie its own shoelaces"
Admit it, you just want it to bend over.
Good potential use-case
I dislike all human car sales people I've ever met, so personally I'm willing to give robots a chance here.
Re: Good potential use-case
Be careful what you wish for: I'm sure dandruff and body odour can be specified according for the car sales use case.
Likewise an LD50 level of nasty aftershave for the estate agent variant.
Car showrooms?
Shudder the thought.
Buy what you want via a broker.
Avoid the horrible buying experience and the up-selling.
You might even save a few bucks.
I just realised that...
...I'm deeply bored of that overused "CGI white with glowy blue circles" aesthetic for everything "futuristic".
Well that
Isn't creepy at all!
AIMOGA...
When you repurpose RoboCop to sell cars.
"Now agree to the Terms and Conditions...
You have 10 seconds to comply."
Well, there wasn't a RoboCop icon ----->
Destiny Angel
is working at a car maker!
Does this mean that the SPV is now being made in China?
Dum-dum-dum-dadada-dum
Can we call it Chery Littlebottom?
Also: can it run a half-marathon? (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/ce8gz5vl2z1o)
Re: Can we call it Chery Littlebottom?
Some of those robots had a tough time and had to be carried off, though I don’t think I would have been able to outrun the winner.
It's all a bit pervy...
But....
> “is capable of performing intricate, human-like operations with remarkable precision.”
... caught my attention. Grumble grumble.
@xyz - Re: It's all a bit pervy...
Only a bit ?! Those who are building these are full blown sickos!
Human shaped isn't unreasonable
Humans have made the world suitable for humans that walk and are about 160cms tall and a certain width, with arms and hands at a certain height and so on, and human spaces have steps and sills that wheels don't handle well, so walking seems obvious. So a vaguely human shaped robot makes sense.
The comments section here suggest that some people see this robot as sexualised. Does that make the designer the perv, or the observer? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, now isn't it?
Ok, it is what it is... but some of the decisions that got it this way are sensible.
Cultural reference.
I'm surprised they didn't take the opportunity to name their salesperson fembot the Chery 2000.
[1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherry_2000
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherry_2000
Cherry
This is much, much better: https://youtu.be/_EBvXpjudf8
Marvine?
Will she be perpetually moaning about the ache in the diodes down her left side?
I think we'll find
... the less realistic the fake humans look the easier they'll be to work with. Always best to let something have integrity, and be what it actually is, than try to make it what it isn't.