Quality assured by man and machine alike.

The relationship between man and machine has led to a certain degree of fantasy and the imagination of a range of future situations: are robots dangerous? Will they force us humans out of work? Or will they force us humans out, full stop? Stories from the silver screen and science-fiction novels are prime fuel for such fears – but are we right to be paranoid? After all, machines are already in a position today to solve complex problems much more quickly than any scientist. When it comes to power and brain power, robots, computers and co. are definitely one step ahead of us. So where does a human employee fit in then?

Despite the rapid development of robotics technologies, Mercedes-Benz Vans shall continue to place great value on human skills. In the times of the Sprinter, Vito and Citan, a major skill of humans comes to the forefront: flexibility. Here, we're worlds ahead! Whilst robots are often only built and programmed for specific movement patterns, humans can carry out almost any hand movement imaginable. In view of the numerous model variations of vans with a three-pointed star, we therefore can't imagine a production line which doesn't make use of this incredible capacity of mankind.

Robots do, of course, have other characteristics which we humans do not. For example, they can move heavy components much more quickly and safely – especially the batteries of the eVito and eSprinter which weigh several hundreds of kilogrammes. Even tasks which would otherwise put our employees in uncomfortable positions are majoritarily carried out by production robots. This division of labour reduces the risk of injury to employees. But the intention isn't just for robots to help them physically, rather also psychologically. It has been scientifically proven that particularly repetitive actions influence our concentration, and so robots are great for taking on such operations, thereby allowing a constant quality level to be guaranteed.

To ensure this symbiosis is as beneficial as possible, the interaction between man and machine is of major importance. In the past, large robots often had to be placed in metal cages to avoid dangerous collisions with employees or materials. Thanks to a range of precise sensors, today's robots often no longer need such cages: while one or more robots go about their work, employees can be present and check or continue the work. In such cases, the robots detect the presence of humans and they pause their work until the area is again clear. In some cases, employees have the chance to manually operate robots – a great example of intertwined collaboration.

To ensure this symbiosis is as beneficial as possible, the interaction between man and machine is of major importance. In the past, large robots often had to be placed in metal cages to avoid dangerous collisions with employees or materials. Thanks to a range of precise sensors, today's robots often no longer need such cages: while one or more robots go about their work, employees can be present and check or continue the work. In such cases, the robots detect the presence of humans and they pause their work until the area is again clear. In some cases, employees have the chance to manually operate robots – a great example of intertwined collaboration.