Hyundai plans 30,000 humanoid robots a year for factories by 2028
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Boston Dynamics' Atlas robot will be deployed in Hyundai factories starting in 2028. Photo courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group
It sounds like a scene from a science fiction movie: Hyundai Motor Group plans to mass-produce humanoid robots in Georgia, and put them to work helping real humans build cars in the same factory.
Why it matters: Hyundai, through its Boston Dynamics subsidiary, is already a leader in robotics — it now says it is ready to take humanoids from the lab to the factory floor, signaling a new phase in the AI revolution.
Driving the news: The South Korea-based industrial conglomerate, whose car brands include Hyundai, Kia and Genesis, unveiled a sweeping AI robotics strategy on Monday at CES in Las Vegas.
- The roadmap includes a plan to manufacture 30,000 Atlas humanoid robots a year by 2028 at its sprawling high-tech "Metaplant" near Savannah and then integrate them into its factories and warehouses worldwide.
They'll be deployed gradually, beginning in 2028 at the Savannah plant, where Hyundai builds electric and hybrid vehicles like the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 9.
- At first, they'll work on tasks with proven safety and quality benefits, such as parts sequencing. By 2030, Atlas robots will be trained to assemble vehicle components.
- Over time, they'll take on more complex jobs that involve repetitive motions and heavy loads — making work safer and less taxing for factory employees, the company said.
The big picture: Boston Dynamics is one of several companies using AI to develop humanoids that can move autonomously and learn tasks by modeling human behavior.
- Tesla plans to reveal the latest version of its Optimus robot in February or March, with production slated to begin by the end of 2026, CEO Elon Musk told investors in October.
- Mercedes-Benz bought a stake in robotics firm Apptronik, and is testing its robots in a couple of its German factories.
- BMW has been testing Figure AI's humanoid robots at its Spartanburg, South Carolina, factory, but hasn't said whether it will integrate them into its production lines.
- Unitree, which is headed for an IPO later this year, leads a group of Chinese companies also working on humanoids.
Context: Hyundai's CES announcement adds details to a previously announced plan to invest up to $26 billion in the U.S., including a new steel plant in Louisiana and expanded vehicle production in Georgia.
- The Savannah manufacturing campus (which made headlines in September for an ICE raid at a related battery joint venture) will be home to a new robot training facility opening this year.
Zoom out: Affiliates from across the Hyundai Group empire are supporting the effort, which is also backed by partnerships with leading AI companies such as Google DeepMind and NVIDIA.
- Hyundai's bet is that combining Boston Dynamics' AI robotics expertise with its own global scale and manufacturing capabilities will provide a powerful edge over competitors when it comes to mass producing humanoid robots.
Where it stands: The Hyundai Group is already using Boston Dynamics robots in industrial settings to enhance safety and improve efficiency.
- Spot, the quadruped robot dog, performs data collection and safety monitoring in various industrial sites, including Savannah.
- Stretch, the warehouse robot, has unloaded more than 20 million boxes globally since its launch in 2023, the company says.
What we're watching: Now Atlas, more than a decade in development, is ready to perform real work.
- It can lift 110 pounds, operate autonomously, and be trained for most tasks in less than a day.
For more on Atlas, check out Sunday's "60 Minutes" segment.
