Why doesn't the UK make more Robots?

The UK Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) sector holds substantial economic promise, with the potential to significantly enhance national productivity and economic resilience. Despite notable strengths, particularly in software and artificial intelligence, the UK’s ability to manufacture RAS domestically remains limited, leading to reliance on imported components. This dependence leaves the industry vulnerable to global supply chain disruptions and limits domestic innovation capacity. Moreover, the overall UK industrial capability to make RAS systems falls far short of international partners. The limited capability to make RAS within the UK feeds into low domestic uptake in general; Industry analysis reveals that the UK ranks only 24th worldwide in industrial robot density, significantly trailing other G7 nations.

We undertook a comprehensive industry survey of ~10% of the UK industry actively making RAS domestically. We found that while structural and mechanical components are generally sourced domestically (reflecting strong local fabrication capabilities) the UK lacks significant manufacturing infrastructure for more sophisticated parts, predominantly procured from Asia, particularly China, due to perceived lower production costs and superior technical expertise. The survey highlighted that the UK RAS manufacturing ecosystem is fragmented and disconnected; indeed, in many cases there may be viable UK alternatives – but they are difficult to identify. To address these barriers, three strategic interventions are recommended: a National RAS Registry; a dedicated RAS component adoption hub; and targeted skills development.