California-based robotics company Figure said the companies are determining use cases for the machines before rolling them out in the Spartanburg, S.C., factory, which employs 11,000 people. (The Logic)

Talking point: The announcement signals building momentum for human-like, multipurpose robots that can be trained for a variety of tasks, from assembly lines to retail stores. Tesla and Toyota are also experimenting with humanoid robots, though their recent public demonstrations of the technology haven’t involved automotive manufacturing. In a release, Figure said the goal is to improve efficiency and safety and get workers to focus on skills that can’t be automated. Unions have previously criticized automakers’ plans to increase automation to offset rising wages, with United Auto Workers president Shawn Fain saying last year that the firms use it “to cut jobs instead of interjecting robots and technology to make our jobs easier.”