10 Signs That Global Manufacturing Is Heating Up

The COVID-19 pandemic was a gut punch to global manufacturing and supply chains between early 2020 and mid-2023. But there’s an ancient and powerful axiom: that which doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Manufacturing and supply chains survived the pandemic, and there are strong signs that both are bouncing back, driven by several factors.

First, artificial intelligence (AI) is driving up demand for computer chips, especially the Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) needed to train AI models. Secondly, global demand for electric vehicles is exploding, including a slow but steady emergence of autonomous, self-driving cars. Thirdly, robotics and advances in technologies like augmented reality, as well as innovations in cooling systems for computers and devices, are forcing humanity to push the boundaries of engineering. Finally, recent years have taught us an important lesson: we need more resilient and diverse supply chains. Concentrating manufacturing expertise in just a handful of countries is no longer sustainable.

In this list, we’ll explore 10 signs that the global manufacturing network is returning to its pre-pandemic level of strength. We’ll dive into what manufacturers are actually working on and the innovations driving their recovery. For the next few minutes, let’s put on our engineering hats and celebrate the ingenuity of our global manufacturing system.

Related: Ten Eerily Prescient Past Predictions About Life in the Future

10 Tesla’s Cybercab: The Cab without a Human Driver

Taxi services have been around since at least the 17th century when horse-drawn carriages carried passengers for hire. Taxi services have always had one immutable constant: a human driver was always at the reins or at the wheel. But now, history has taken a dramatic turn. For the first time, cabs are being driven by artificial intelligence, and these ultra-modern cabs have no human driver.

Tesla, a company that made its name building fully electric vehicles, is now set to introduce fully autonomous robotaxis. The Tesla Cybercab was recently unveiled at Warner Bros. Studios in California. The car has no pedals and no steering wheel; it’s composed of an AI brain and has a price tag of under $30,000. In other words, this futuristic vehicle is designed to be impossible for a human being to drive.

Starting in 2025, Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y owners in California and Texas will be able to upgrade their cars to full self-driving capabilities. Tesla is all in on AI-driven automation: they’re also planning on manufacturing human-like AI-powered robots.^[1]

9 Boston Dynamics’ Atlas: A New Entry into the Long History of Robots

People have been imagining machines capable of performing tasks autonomously for centuries. The idea of the robot is far older than most realize. For example, in the 12th century AD, a Muslim inventor named Al-Jazari created the Drinking Peacock Automaton, a device that automatically dispensed water for drinking or washing hands. Now, in the 21st century, robotics has reached unprecedented levels of advancement.

Boston Dynamics’ Atlas Robot is a prime example of just how far the field has progressed. The company recently released a video demonstration of Atlas autonomously moving engine covers between containers and a mobile sequencing dolly. No human directed its movements. Using advanced machine learning and vision systems, Atlas identified bins, detected fixtures, and made real-time decisions to get the job done flawlessly. Atlas isn’t just a simple machine—it adapts to changes and responds in real time to unexpected events. For instance, if a bin shifts or an obstacle appears, Atlas recalibrates instantly using its vision, force, and other sensors.

Other robotics manufacturers, like Tesla, are undoubtedly watching Boston Dynamics’ work and learning from it. These advancements are steadily pushing the entire robotics industry forward.^[2]

8 2008’s Iron Man Predicts the WalkON Suit F1

The original Iron Man movie from 2008 was a smash hit at the box office. Using state-of-the-art visual effects, the film presented billionaire genius Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) in his laboratory, where he built and designed a super-advanced exoskeleton suit. The suit gave him superhuman strength, advanced weaponry, and the ability to fly at supersonic speeds. Movies are a powerful source of inspiration for society because they present ideas that people then slowly bring to life.

The WalkON Suit F1, created by KAIST in South Korea, may not be as advanced as Tony Stark’s Iron Man suit, but it’s a leap forward compared to traditional exoskeletons. Designed for individuals with lower-body paralysis, the suit integrates an autonomous docking system that attaches itself to the user, allowing them to stand and walk. Its vision recognition technology detects obstacles in real time, making the user’s movements safer in various environments. The suit also provides enough balance and support for users to keep their hands free during operation.

This exoskeleton’s capabilities were put to the test at the 2024 Cybathlon. Piloted by Seunghwan Kim, a paraplegic researcher, the WalkON Suit F1 completed a rigorous obstacle course in just 6 minutes and 40 seconds, taking first place. Multiple technologies are advancing at the same time to make advanced exoskeletons like the F1 possible.^[3]

7 Clone Robotics’ Water-Powered Humanoid Torso

The human torso is a complex masterpiece of biological engineering. It relies on the brain’s signals, carried by nerve fibers known as axons, to control the movements of the torso’s muscle fibers. Inspired by this complexity, Clone Robotics created a water-powered humanoid torso designed to replicate key functions of the real human torso.

The synthetic torso contains artificial, water-powered muscles that simulate human movement with a high level of accuracy. Created by Polish-based Clone Robotics, the humanoid torso incorporates artificial bones, a spine, and ribs, giving it a structure reminiscent of a lifelike torso. The system relies on a battery-powered pump to circulate water through valves, with water pressure driving the muscular movements. The design includes a rotating thumb, a critical feature for tasks requiring dexterity.

Clone Robotics envisions the artificial torso being used in environments designed for humans, such as assembly lines or workplaces, where robots capable of human-like movements could replace or assist workers. By closely replicating human anatomy, the Clone Robotics torso can integrate into existing systems with minimal adjustments.^[4]

6 China’s Electric Hypercar: YangWang U9

China’s economy began to take off in the late 1970s and early 1980s when Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping transitioned the country from a planned economy to a more market-oriented one. Since then, China has grown into the second-largest economy in the world, trailing only the United States. One of the most remarkable indicators of this economic transformation is the rapid advancement of China’s automobile manufacturing industry. Today, China is a global leader in electric vehicles, with the YangWang U9 electric hypercar standing out as an impressive achievement.

Built by BYD’s luxury sub-brand, YangWang, the U9 is powered by four electric motors delivering approximately 1,280 horsepower. It can reach a top speed of 192 mph (309 km/h), accelerate from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in less than 3 seconds, and cover 1,300 feet (400 meters) from a standstill in 9.78 seconds. It also features vertical-opening doors, LED lighting, and a very high-tech interior.

The hypercar is big on big numbers: it charges at 500 kW, far higher than most other electric vehicles on the road, allowing it to charge much faster than most other EVs. It’s extremely heavy, weighing in at 5,456 pounds (2,475 kg). A lot of this weight is due to its massive 1,395-pound (633-kilogram) battery. The final number that will astonish you is its price: €215,000 ($230,000). Clearly, this car will be marketed to the wealthy in China and abroad.^[5]

5 A Future of Cooling without Refrigerants

Solid-state cooling is an emerging technology that moves heat without any moving parts, typically using semiconductors. The basic principle is simple: when an electric current passes through a junction of two different materials, one side heats up while the other cools down. The cool side can then be used to remove heat from objects. This solid-state heat transfer phenomenon is known as the “Peltier effect.”

Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have recently gained a much better understanding of how solid-state cooling could be scaled up to industrial levels. The goal is to replace refrigerant liquids, gases, and moving parts with environmentally friendly solid-state alternatives. These replacements promise quieter, more efficient operation, with precise temperature control in a compact and lightweight design.

Nickel-cobalt-manganese-indium alloys, known for their magnetocaloric effect, absorb and release heat during magnetic and structural phase transitions, making them a promising option for advanced cooling technologies. Using neutron scattering—a method to study how atoms are arranged and interact—scientists discovered that atomic disorder in these materials creates unique vibrations that triple their cooling capacity. This advancement could lead to more efficient and environmentally friendly refrigeration and air conditioning systems.^[6]

4 Will Augmented Reality Glasses Finally Succeed with the Apple Vision Pro?

The Grim Reaper has thoroughly dealt with many of the augmented reality glasses that came before the Apple Vision Pro. Google Glass: deceased. Microsoft HoloLens: pushing up daisies. Meta’s various AR glasses: on life support. Apple has deep pockets, but it’s still uncertain if they can pull off what so many others couldn’t: making augmented reality (AR) glasses a mainstream success.

The Apple Vision Pro is a high-tech headset designed to bring mixed reality into everyday life. Two primary use cases are emerging: immersive entertainment, such as watching movies or gaming, and productivity, such as writing or coding in a 3D augmented reality environment. Why would someone use a Vision Pro for these activities? Apple is betting that the immersive, realistic experiences of AR will eventually convert people.

However, the Vision Pro’s $3,499 starting price as of November 2024 is a steep barrier for many. Another challenge is its relatively new ecosystem: there aren’t yet many apps specifically designed for the Vision Pro. Still, Apple has a long history of turning ambitious ideas into successes. With their design and marketing expertise, they might finally succeed where so many other big players have failed.^[7]

3 BYD Shocks Everyone with Their Low Electric Vehicle Prices

When Japanese engineers recently tore apart BYD’s Atto 3 electric SUV, they were stunned. How could this sleek vehicle, priced at just $20,000 in China, be so affordable to produce? BYD has a manufacturing strategy that appears to be light-years ahead of everyone else. They make most of the car’s components in-house, cutting costs and boosting quality control. Their bold and unconventional methods are drawing the attention of automobile manufacturers all around the world. They’re left scratching their heads and asking themselves, “Do we have to rethink everything we’ve grown accustomed to doing over the past several decades?”

First, the Atto 3’s design is a highly creative and innovative marvel. For example, its E-Axle drive unit combines eight unique functions, including the motor, inverter, and reducer, into one highly compact unit. This approach reduces the number of parts (hence reducing costs) and streamlines production (further reducing costs). Fewer components also mean less weight and improved efficiency.

Much like Japan shook up U.S. auto manufacturers in the 1980s, the Atto 3 has been a wake-up call for automakers worldwide. BYD’s vertical integration and simplified design are rewriting the rules of EV production, and in the long term, that’s probably a good thing for everyone.^[8]

2 A 400-Foot-Tall Rocket Lands Almost as Gracefully as a Helicopter

On October 13, 2024, SpaceX’s Starship took its fifth test flight, achieving something never seen before in the history of spaceflight. The 400-foot-tall rocket launched from Starbase in South Texas, and just seven minutes later, its Super Heavy booster returned to the launch site. What happened next was textbook engineering excellence: the booster was caught mid-air by “chopstick” arms attached to the launch tower. This maneuver is a leap forward in the concept of reusable rockets.

By grabbing the booster instead of letting it land on a platform or splash into the ocean, SpaceX can streamline its refurbishment process. SpaceX’s ultimate goal is to reduce the time and cost required to prepare rockets for their next mission. If humanity can achieve this, we’ll be much closer to rapid, affordable, and sustainable space travel.

SpaceX’s advancements will encourage competitors, like Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, to develop even better ways to achieve rocket reusability. This constant quest for improvement will be critical to achieving the vision of cheap and routine space travel.^[9]

1 Vietnam’s Rise as a Chipmaking Powerhouse

Vietnam is steadily becoming a major player in global chip manufacturing. Big names like Hana Micron (based in South Korea) and Amkor Technology (based in the United States) are betting big on the country, pouring billions into new facilities. Intel also operates its largest back-end chip plant in Vietnam. These back-end plants focus on assembling, testing, and packaging chips after they are fabricated, ensuring they are functional and ready for integration into devices. With the shifting dynamics of global supply chains, Vietnam is transforming into a hub for advanced manufacturing.

Local Vietnamese businesses also want a slice of the country’s chipmaking success. For example, FPT Corporation and Sovico Group are building chip testing facilities and partnering with foreign tech firms to boost expertise and capacity. Viettel, one of Vietnam’s largest corporations, plans to launch the country’s first major semiconductor foundry by 2030. Projections suggest Vietnam’s share of global chip assembly, testing, and packaging could reach 8-9% by 2032. Backed by U.S. partnerships and a favorable business environment, the country is reshaping supply chains and unlocking new opportunities for the tech world.

Finally, let’s explore why Vietnam has attracted so much attention and investment. There are six major reasons: (1) Low labor costs, (2) its strategic Southeast Asian location close to major supply chains, (3) considerable incentives (like tax breaks) from the Vietnamese government, (4) good infrastructure, (5) a highly skilled workforce, and (6) the global push to geographically diversify supply chains.^[10]