Amid the wave of deep integration between the automotive and robotics industries, a growing number of enterprises in the automotive supply chain are stepping out of traditional tracks to seek new growth drivers. On the evening of September 8, Zhengyu Industry, which has been deeply engaged in automotive shock absorption systems for over 20 years, announced a significant plan: it intends to join hands with Dong Bo, an industry technical expert with dual doctoral degrees, to jointly invest 10 million yuan in establishing Shenzhen FiberSen Robotics Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “FiberSen”). Among them, Zhengyu Industry will contribute 6 million yuan in currency to hold a 60% stake, officially declaring its entry into the core track of flexible tactile sensing for robots—known as “electronic skin”—becoming another typical case of auto parts enterprises branching out into the robotics field.
Zhengyu Industry Boasts Solid Main Business and Automated Experience, Laying Foundation for Cross-Industry Layout
As a player in the auto parts sector, Zhengyu Industry’s main products include shock absorbers for automotive suspension systems, automotive rubber shock absorption products, and engine seals, among others. In recent years, the company’s performance has shown an upward trend. In the first half of this year, Zhengyu Industry achieved an operating income of 1.356 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 39.62%; its net profit attributable to shareholders reached 119 million yuan, a substantial year-on-year surge of 420.67%. Its accumulated experience in automated production lines during auto parts manufacturing, such as the mature application of the 4 – Axis Robotic Tray Loading System, has laid a solid foundation for intelligent manufacturing in its cross-industry layout in the robotics field.
FiberSen Focuses on Building Technical Closed-Loop for Robotic Flexible Tactile Sensing
While consolidating its auto parts business, Zhengyu Industry has ly seized the opportunities brought by the integration of the automotive and robotics industries. The newly established FiberSen has a registered capital of 10 million yuan, with Zhengyu Industry subscribing 6 million yuan in currency and holding a 60% stake. It will focus on the research and development of flexible tactile sensing technology for robots, the design and manufacturing of sensors, as well as the development and testing of signal processing systems, committed to building a complete technical closed-loop for flexible tactile sensing systems.
Flexible Tactile Sensing: A “Bottleneck” in Robotics, with Urgent Domestic Substitution Demand
The flexible tactile sensing targeted this time is one of the “bottleneck” links in the current robotics industry. This technology, known as “e-skin,” can simulate the human skin’s ability to perceive pressure, temperature, and humidity through an array of micro-sensors on a flexible substrate, and even achieve the recognition of object textures. It is crucial for robots to realize precise grasping, safe human-robot interaction, and operation in complex environments. However, in the current domestic market, high-end flexible tactile sensors still rely on imports, and local products generally suffer from problems such as low sensitivity, short service life, and poor compatibility. Especially in scenarios like precision assembly of industrial robots and care interaction of service robots, the demand for domestic substitution is urgent.
Global Flexible Pressure Sensor Market to Reach $6.8 Billion by 2033
According to estimates by VerifiedMarketReports, the global flexible pressure sensor market is expected to reach 6.8 billion US dollars by 2033, with a compound annual growth rate of 12.1% from 2025 to 2033.
Dr. Dong Bo, a Top Technical Expert, Joins to Drive R&D Breakthroughs
To ensure breakthroughs in flexible tactile sensing technology, Zhengyu Industry has introduced Dr. Dong Bo as a “core” technical leader. Dr. Dong Bo holds dual doctoral degrees: a Ph.D. in Optics from Nankai University and a Ph.D. in Electronic and Computer Engineering from the National University of Singapore. He has made remarkable achievements in photonic integrated devices, SAW/BAW chips, and photoelectric detection, among other areas. He has not only been selected into the list of the world’s top 2% scientists jointly released by Stanford University and Elsevier but also serves as an expert reviewer for national science and technology awards and national key projects. At FiberSen, Dr. Dong Bo will be responsible for technical research and development, building a professional team, and leading sensor-related projects to ensure that the R&D progress aligns with the business plan formulated by Zhengyu Industry.
Risks Exist in Technology Development and Market Acceptance
However, Zhengyu Industry also admitted in the announcement that the flexible tactile sensing system to be developed by FiberSen is still in the initial stage of technical development, with risks that the development may not meet expectations or even fail. In addition, the launch time of the proposed products and their future market acceptance are also uncertain.
Cross-Industry Layout Aligns with Industrial Integration, Paving Way for New Growth
Despite the challenges ahead, Zhengyu Industry’s cross-industry layout in the robotics field this time is a positive attempt to comply with the trend of integration between the automotive and robotics industries. As technologies accumulated in the process of intelligentization and electrification in the automotive industry—such as sensor technology and control algorithms—exhibit increasingly significant technical synergy with the robotics industry, Zhengyu Industry is expected to leverage the experience and resources accumulated in the auto parts manufacturing field to explore its own development path in the niche track of robot flexible tactile sensing, open up new profit growth points for the company, and contribute to promoting technological innovation in the robotics industry.
