This is the moment a humanoid robot developed by Chinese carmaker Xpeng suddenly loses balance and falls sideways during its first public walking demonstration.

The incident happened at Shenzhen Bay MixC Mall, in the city of Shenzhen, in Guangdong province, in China on 31st January.

Video footage shows the black humanoid robot, known as IRON, walking steadily across an open public area before stopping upright, swaying noticeably and beginning to tip sideways, as nearby staff members rush towards it and reach out just as it falls to the ground.

Several staff members then lift the robot off the ground and carry it away from the demonstration area.

Xpeng confirmed the fall took place during IRON’s first offline public walking showcase, after the robot had already completed several walking sequences without incident.

Xpeng chairman He Xiaopeng later responded publicly, likening the fall to a child "learning to walk" and saying the robot would continue to improve through development.

XPeng's humanoid robot crashes during its debut in Shenzhen, China, Jan. 31, 2026. Note: Photo is a screenshot from the video (AsiaWire)

Xpeng vice-president Thomas Dianhuoche also commented on the incident, saying IRON had walked many times during the event and that the fall helped prove it was not a human pretending to be a robot.

The humanoid robot IRON was unveiled by Xpeng at its Technology Day event on 5th November 2025, with the company stating it aims to begin mass production by the end of 2026.

According to Xpeng, IRON is designed to closely replicate human movement and structure, featuring a bionic spine, simulated muscles, full flexible skin coverage, a 3D curved display head, articulated shoulders and dexterous hands with 22 degrees of freedom.

(Aloysius Fernandes /AsiaWire)