With the humanoid robot D1, HONOR has set a strong example for the future of embodied AI at the Beijing Yizhuang & Humanoid Robot Half Marathon 2026. The self-developed robot completed the 21.1-kilometer course in just 50 minutes and 26 seconds – faster than the previous human half marathon world record of 57:20 minutes.
The victory attracted attention not only because of the record time, but also because of its technological significance. HONOR demonstrates how far modern robotics has already come thanks to mobile AI technologies, autonomous systems and intelligent hardware. The success of D1 is seen as an important step for the practical future of humanoid robots.
- HONOR D1 won the half marathon in Beijing with a net time of 50:26 minutes
- The humanoid robot even beat the previous human world record of 57:20
- HONOR and its fleet of robots took the first six places in the competition
- D1 ran the entire course completely autonomously without human intervention
HONOR D1 sets a new benchmark for humanoid robots
The Beijing Yizhuang & Humanoid Robot Half Marathon 2026 was a demonstration of modern robotics at the highest level. More than 300 robots from 102 international teams competed against each other – five times more than the previous year. HONOR’s dominance was particularly striking: the first six places went entirely to the company’s robots.
The focus was on the humanoid robot D1, which not only won the gold medal with its net time of 50 minutes and 26 seconds, but also significantly beat the human half marathon world record. The improvement on the previous year’s record was also impressive: The winning time was reduced by almost two thirds.
The fully autonomous execution is particularly relevant here. While many systems are still dependent on human support, D1 completed the entire course independently. Navigation, stabilization and reaction to external influences took place without direct intervention. It is precisely this ability that makes the technological progress particularly remarkable, as it goes far beyond mere walking speed.
HONOR D1 is based on smartphone AI and the Alpha plan
The success of the robot is closely linked to HONOR’s long-term corporate strategy. With the so-called Alpha Plan, the company is pursuing the goal of developing from a traditional smartphone manufacturer into a comprehensive provider of an AI device ecosystem. D1 is the visible result of this transformation.
The 169-centimetre tall humanoid robot was equipped with 159 specialized metal components and powerful joint modules that achieve a maximum torque of 600 Nm. This design ensures high dynamic balance and even enables autonomous recovery after collisions during the race.
The technological origin of many of the systems is particularly exciting. HONOR uses key developments from the smartphone sector and transfers them to robotics. This includes on-device AI for real-time spatial understanding as well as a proprietary liquid cooling system with a flow rate of 4 liters per minute. This keeps the motors at a stable temperature even under long loads.
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The power supply is also geared towards mobile efficiency. With a range of more than ten kilometers per battery and a quick-change system, one of the biggest problems of humanoid robots – their low endurance – is significantly reduced. This makes D1 not only more powerful, but also more practical for future applications.
HONOR D1 shows the future of embodied AI
With D1, HONOR is not only pursuing athletic records, but also a larger vision for human-machine collaboration. The focus is on the AHI philosophy – Augmented Human Intelligence. This is not just about what artificial intelligence can achieve technically, but what real added value it should create for people.
Through the so-called three-brain synergy of personal, universal and edge intelligence, HONOR wants to extend AI services from the smartphone into the physical world. In the future, humanoid robots could take over tasks in households, healthcare or industry and serve as intelligent support in everyday life.
A sales price for the HONOR D1 has not yet been announced, as it is currently still a technological demonstration project. Nevertheless, the success of the half marathon clearly shows where the industry is heading. Alongside the launch of the HONOR 600 series in Europe, the D1 underlines the fact that robotics is likely to become a central component of modern AI ecosystems in the future.
