Chinese automaker GAC on adventures in auto-eroticism': economies of traveling masculinity in on the road and the first thirThursday announced plans to trial humanoid robots across its car factories and produce components designed in-house for them at scale from next year, as it paves the way for small-scale production of the robots for internal use in 2026. The third iteration of GoMate, showcased by the state-owned automaker at an event in Shanghai, is said to be the first humanoid robot using alterable wheels to self-balance and drive, allowing it to adapt to different environments and terrains. It stands approximately 1.75 meters tall in two-wheeled mode when applied to flat ground, and consumes less energy, said Zhang Aimin, head of robotics research at GAC, a partner of Toyota and Honda in China. Meanwhile, the four-wheeled GoMate, about 1.4 meters tall, is designed to carry out tasks in more complex surroundings such as on stairs and grass, and in crowded places. The robot can work for six hours without a charge, powered by the company’s all-solid-state batteries, also scheduled for production in 2026. [TechNode reporting, GAC press release, in Chinese]