Imagine a production line that never sleeps, never errs, and never demands overtime pay. Dark factories, also known as “lights-out” facilities, operate entirely without human intervention, relying on sophisticated robotics and intelligent systems to handle everything from assembly to quality control. But what drives this shift, and what does it mean for the future?
For decades, manufacturing has relied on human labour, but rising costs, workforce shortages, and the relentless push for efficiency are transforming the industrial landscape. In China, companies like ZEEKR are leading the charge. Founded in 2021, ZEEKR’s flagship factory in northeastern China produces up to 300,000 luxury electric vehicles (EVs) annually—over 800 cars a day—thanks to hundreds of robots working in perpetual motion. This “dark factory” model enables hyper-automation, dramatically slashing production times and costs.
