And in July of this year Hyundai Motor Group said it would bring human-like robots into its manufacturing plants by 2028. TAG, the company’s vision became even clearer at this past week’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, when the company made a big announcement. They demonstrated Atlas, a new humanoid robot from Boston Dynamics. This new initiative is a clear indication that the automotive leader is advancing with big plans to boost production efficiencies using automation.
Chief Executive José Muñoz confirmed that Hyundai will deploy Atlas robots, designed for general industrial use, to work collaboratively with human workers and autonomously manage machinery. The company’s philosophy is to train these robots to eventually assume more and more responsibilities in the production chain. In the end, this will drive greater efficiency and overall productivity at its manufacturing plants.
Hyundai’s investment in the United States has been significant, surpassing $20 billion (£15.5 billion) by 2025. This investment is critical to our strategy to accelerate the production of more cars. Meanwhile, we’re continuing our push toward pioneering breakthroughs in self-driving car technology and AI (artificial intelligence). By integrating humanoid robots like Atlas into its operations, Hyundai seeks to position itself as a leader in both automotive manufacturing and technological innovation.
The announcement follows a rocky few months for Hyundai. In September 2025, a racialized raid targeted one of its U.S. plants. The incident resulted in the arrest of hundreds of these workers with at least 300 South Korean citizens arrested. This led to a public outcry in South Korea after news reports surfaced that detainees had been handcuffed. Former President Lee Jae Myung and current GM Chairman José Muñoz both publicly lamented the incident. They argued that these sorts of actions would only chase away foreign investment in the United States.
The White House reacted to the situation by contacting Muñoz directly to apologize for the raid. The deal struck between Washington and Seoul this month. This agreement guarantees that the workers being detained will be released.
Hyundai is not alone in its venture into humanoid robotics. Companies like Tesla, led by Elon Musk, have made significant investments in similar technologies, notably with its humanoid robot, Optimus. The full self-driving future is very quickly approaching. Suppliers, too, are more often bringing humanoid robots into the fold to leverage cutting-edge technology.