In a major leap for EV manufacturing, Italian automation powerhouse Comau has delivered a fully integrated production line to Chinese electric vehicle leader Li Auto, helping the company hit an annual production capacity of 400,000 next-gen range extender units. But beyond the impressive scale lies something even more telling: how machine vision and collaborative robotics are reshaping the future of precision assembly.
High-Speed EV Manufacturing, Powered by Vision
From concept to commissioning, Comau’s solution spans the full production value chain, integrating everything from the interior and exterior assembly lines to cylinder head and piston-rod subassembly. Central to the line’s efficiency are 15 collaborative robots working seamlessly with operators and vision systems — creating a hybrid manufacturing environment where humans and intelligent machines share tasks once thought impossible to automate.
At the heart of this innovation is Comau’s patented SmartCell technology, a modular, tool-change-enabled system that mimics machining centers. SmartCell ensures highly accurate assembly operations across variable component types — including valve collet pressing across multiple cylinder head variants — while maintaining a 99% production pass rate. The implications? Fewer errors, less rework, and a significant reduction in downtime.
Machine Vision: The Silent Enabler
What makes these results possible is not just robotic dexterity, but machine vision’s growing role in enhancing in-line precision.
Tasks such as spark plug and connecting rod cap installation — typically sensitive, multi-step procedures — are now guided by vision-enabled cobots, dramatically reducing the chance of human error while increasing process stability. In parallel, a six-axis robotic system now performs crankshaft assembly with greater flexibility and efficiency than traditional setups.
“Li Auto’s ambitions in electric vehicles require trusted partners like Comau,” said Ju Yubo, Director of Range Extender Process Development at Li Auto. “This strategic collaboration will drive new efficiencies and enhance manufacturing quality.”
Implications for the Vision Industry
For machine vision companies, this partnership is a blueprint for opportunity. As OEMs like Li Auto scale rapidly, they demand modular, adaptable automation solutions that can keep pace with evolving platforms. This means:
- Higher demand for embedded vision systems in cobots and inspection tasks.
- Greater emphasis on accuracy and traceability in variable-part assembly.
- Integration with digital twins and simulation software to ensure first-time-right implementation.
Moreover, with EV platforms changing every 12–18 months, manufacturers need plug-and-play vision solutions that adapt quickly, rather than lock them into static inspection configurations.
Comau’s Competitive Edge
Speaking on the collaboration, Jeff Yuan, Comau APAC Leader, emphasized scalability:
“Our ability to integrate robotics, patented technologies, and digital tools has allowed us to achieve a high level of automation and flexibility that can be easily scaled as market needs change.”
This combination of vision-guided robotics, modular assembly lines, and AI-enhanced automation showcases how advanced manufacturing is no longer about single-machine performance — it’s about ecosystems that evolve with the product lifecycle.
MVPro Takeaway
Machine vision is no longer an isolated quality check at the end of the line — it’s a core enabler of real-time, precision-driven manufacturing. From adaptive assembly to error-proofing critical joints, vision tech is redefining how EVs are built at scale.
For vision technology developers, the message is clear: the future of automotive manufacturing lies in smart, scalable, and visually aware systems. Projects like Comau and Li Auto’s should serve not only as case studies but as roadmaps for what’s next in vision-integrated automation.
