On an assembly line an ordinary industrial robot can do a lot of damage if it is not thinking the same way as the people around it. The robots are heavy and have powerful motors. A cobot cannot move on its own at all but helps human workers move it by providing constraints, a virtual surface to restrict motion. In automotive assembly, workers must maneuver and attach bulky components such as seats, windshields, and doors without damaging the auto body.
Hoists can reduce the weight burden.
The cobot would offer support against gravity, and give guidance. The worker would be able to push the component to where it goes without fear of collisions. It's all done with computer-controlled wheels. Rollerblade wheels, which can change the direction of motion of a 200-lb skater in a fraction of a second, are ideal. Three wheels at the corners of a triangle are independently steered by a computer.