As robot fleets grow and mix makers, the work around them matters more. These figures and dated updates track standards, fleet software, service networks and the skills needed to keep robots running.
What moved in robot services this year.
5 million industrial robots in operation worldwide, a record, up 9% in 2025 (IFR World Robotics 2026, 2025)
655,000 industrial robot installations forecast worldwide for 2026 (IFR World Robotics 2026, 2026)
6.6% year-on-year rise in A3-tracked robot orders by value, first half of 2026 (The Robot Report (A3 data), 2026)
ANYbotics launches Shift to run inspection robot fleets and feed maintenance systems
· Launch
Swiss robot maker ANYbotics launched Shift, a cloud platform that schedules and monitors inspection robot fleets, analyzes thermal, acoustic, visual and gas readings, and passes findings to maintenance and ERP systems such as SAP and IBM Maximo. It already runs across more than 200 robot deployments, including 33,000 inspections in 16 months at one cement plant.
Why it matters: Robot data is most useful when it lands where maintenance teams already work. Before buying, ask which work-order, ERP and asset systems a fleet platform connects to out of the box.
ASI and SoftBank form a $225 million venture to run mixed autonomous construction fleets
· Partnership
Utah-based Autonomous Solutions Inc. and SoftBank Group formed a joint venture backed by $225 million in new SoftBank capital. It will deploy ASI's Mobius orchestration software, which coordinates haul trucks, dozers, loaders and compactors from different manufacturers, on large projects such as roads, airports and railways, citing a shortage of skilled equipment operators.
Why it matters: Brand-agnostic orchestration lets one team supervise machines from several makers. Wherever fleets mix vendors, ask whether the control software works across brands or locks you into one.
Intrinsic open-sources a ROS-compatible core for building robot arm applications
· Launch
Intrinsic, an Alphabet company, released Intrinsic Core under the Apache 2.0 license at ROSCon 2026 in Toronto. The ROS-compatible suite includes hardware-agnostic real-time control, motion and grasp planning, pose estimation, Gazebo simulation, camera calibration and drivers for FANUC and Universal Robots arms, plus a reference design for CNC machine tending.
Why it matters: Open, ROS-compatible building blocks can reduce dependence on one integrator's private code. Ask integrators which parts of a cell they build on open software and who maintains it after handover.
US robot installations rise 11% as manufacturers respond to skilled-labor gaps
· Market
The International Federation of Robotics reported that US industrial robot installations rose 11% to 38,000 units in 2025. Carmakers remained the largest buyers at 13,500 units, while food and other sectors drove the recovery. IFR links demand to factory reshoring and a persistent shortage of skilled labor.
Why it matters: More robots and fewer skilled hands make support capacity the real constraint. Plan technician training before go-live; THG Academy offers operator and technician courses for teams new to robots.
JD.com teams with RoboNow on robot leasing, repair and recycling services
· Partnership
JD.com partnered with RoboNow, a robot leasing network launched in March 2026, to offer end-to-end services for humanoids, quadrupeds, exoskeletons and commercial robots, from leasing and logistics to maintenance, insurance, refurbishment and recycling. JD Service also aims to train 100,000 engineers over five years to repair robots and smart home devices.
Why it matters: After-sales service is becoming a business of its own. When comparing suppliers, ask who repairs the robot locally, how spares are stocked and what happens to the unit at end of life.
VDA 5050 version 3.0 extends the fleet interface to freely navigating mobile robots
· Standards
The VDA 5050 interface between driverless transport vehicles and fleet control reached version 3.0, released by the German automotive industry association VDA. The update adds support for freely navigating mobile robots, zones that shape how vehicles behave and route, reworked operating modes and clearer error levels.
Why it matters: A common interface lets one fleet manager direct AMRs and AGVs from different makers. Ask each vendor which VDA 5050 version it supports; THG's Integrations and connectors include playbooks for mixed fleets.
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