GM Adds 50 Robots at Detroit EV Plant as 1,300 Workers Remain Laid Off

General Motors has installed about 50 robot arms from Japanese manufacturer FANUC at its Factory Zero electric vehicle plant in Detroit, Michigan, to assist with assembling components. The move comes as more than 1,300 workers are still indefinitely laid off after temporary layoffs initiated in March.

United Auto Workers Local 22 President James Cotton criticized the decision, arguing that the company could recall laid-off members instead of deploying the robots. The automation has intensified union concerns about the long-term impact on jobs in the automotive industry.