Robot Software Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2021 - 2026)

The Robot Software market is expected to register a CAGR of 16.27% during the forecast period (2021 - 2026). Robot software is an AI-enabled system used to guide the functions the robot performs. It is a set of coded instructions which executes the functions of a robot.

Key Highlights

• Robot software enables functions for enhanced intelligence, motion, safety, and productivity, and gives the power to make the robots see, feel, learn, and maintain security. These features and benefits allow users to quickly and easily get their robots up and running at maximum productivity.
• The major factors driving the growth of the robot software market are the adoption of artificial intelligence, reduction of labor cost, increased accuracy, enhanced speed, improved quality, and scalability of production. The robot software market has huge opportunities in the small, medium, and large-scale industries.
• Growing adoption of robots across various end-user industries such as manufacturing, electrical and electronics, food & beverage, automotive, and process controls are seen as primary growth drivers for the robotics software platforms market over the forecast timeline. The growing utilization of robots in varied end-user industries helps in meeting customized demand while simultaneously helping lower labor costs.
• However, data security and increasing cyberattacks are hindering market growth. Also, increasing robot crimes are hindering the adoption of robots in various sectors, thus decreasing the prospects of robot software adoption. Also, the lack of skilled expertise is one of the major restraining factors for this market.

Key Market Trends

Industrial Robots to Have the Majority Application

• With the advent of technologies like the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) vital to the smart factory concept coupled with Industry 4.0, industrial robot adoption is increasing across the manufacturing industries. An industrial robot is generally used in place of human laborers to perform dangerous or repetitive tasks with a high degree of accuracy.
• To make the robots perform efficiently with the accuracy of the utmost importance, a software system known as robot software is essential to operate the robots according to the needs of the manufacturers.
• This software is an extension of human capability. It reflects the human vision that gets keener with every generation and every technological leap. With the enormous growth of robotics in the industrial sector, the need for robotic software is also increasing substantially.
• According to IFR, the annual sales volume of industrial robots increased by 114% over the last five years (2013-2017). Also, from a regional perspective, although the robot sales declined in the Asia-Pacific region in 2018, they were up 6% in the Americas and 7% in the EU. The U.S. had up 15% from 2017, while both Canada and Mexico were down 15% and 13%, respectively. Owing to the massive growth of the adoption of industrial robots across the sector, the adoption of robot software for industrial robots is expected to grow substantially.
• The major factors propelling the growth of the robot software market are the adoption of artificial intelligence, labor cost reduction, increased accuracy, improved speed, enhanced quality, and scalability of production. The robot software market is expected to have enormous opportunities in the small, medium, and large-scale industries.

The Asia Pacific Region Expected to Register Maximum Growth

• The Asia-Pacific region is expected to exhibit significant growth opportunities over the forecast period. The major economies contributing to the growth of the robot software market in this region are China, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and India. The countries in this region are increasingly adopting robotics across industries.
• The Chinese market is expected to increase its expenditure related to AI and robotics, as the country has categorically prioritized its focus on AI and robotics in its 13th five-year plans. China's National Development and Reform Commission has announced an AI three-year implementation program that is expected to be instrumental to accelerate the adoption of advanced technologies to help the country become a superpower by 2030.
• Also, the governments in these regions are providing easy loan facilities to Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and large enterprises with a start-up culture.
• Furthermore, the manufacturing industry growth of the emerging economies, such as China and India, to manufacture goods and export these cost-efficient products across the globe, is proliferating the growth of industrial robots in the region, which in turn is expected to increase the market for robot software in the region.
• According to IFR, 71% of all newly deployed robots in 2020 were installed in Asia, which was up from 67% in 2019. The region's largest adopter was China, where the installations grew strongly by 20% with 168,400 units. This was also the highest value recorded for a single country, with the operational stock reaching 943,223 units (+21%).

Competitive Landscape

The global robot software market is moderately fragmented owing to the penetration of robotics across the globe with applications in various industries. The robotic software companies are constantly focusing on developing advanced technologies that would enhance the robotic processes and help the manufacturing industries to intensify their process.

• August 2021 - ABB announced the acquisition of ASTI Mobile Robotics Group, an autonomous mobile robot manufacturer with a diverse portfolio spanning all major applications supported by the company's software suite. This will broaden ABB's robotics and automation portfolio, allowing it to provide a comprehensive portfolio for the next generation of flexible automation.
• October 2020 - Clearpath Robotics further integrated the expansion for its Jackal UGV, Husky UGV, and Dingo platforms with expanded support for the Nvidia Jetsons, including the Nano, Xavier NX/AGX, and TX2 modules. With this, the company's robots got a computing boost with Nvidia Jetson modules.

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