Hyundai Motor Group recently announced plans to introduce human-like robots into its new plant in Georgia. It’s a bold move. This initiative stands as just one component in a broader strategy to increase car manufacturing in the United States. This latest development comes on the heels of a highly criticized September 2025 raid by US immigration officials on the company’s plant. The raid further fueled anxieties about foreign investment in the country. Minnesota’s Governor Tim Walz, President Lee Myung, and Hyundai’s CEO, José Muñoz, expressed their disappointment. They are afraid that if such incidents happen, it might frighten away future investments.
The commitment underpins the company’s previous announcement that it would invest more than $20 billion in the US market. They’ll drill down in particular on bolstering manufacturing, autonomous driving technology, and artificial intelligence (AI). This significant investment dovetails nicely with President Trump’s commitment to strengthen U.S. manufacturing and create jobs.
Hyundai’s recent showcase of Atlas, a humanoid robot developed by Boston Dynamics, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas has sparked interest in the potential of robotics in industrial applications. Made for more industrial general use, Atlas will work alongside human workers while autonomously operating equipment. The company plans to begin using Atlas in 2028. They anticipate these humanoid robots eventually moving out into the world and expanding their range of tasks.
The storm of criticism after the September raid hasn’t been missed. Reports then suggested many workers within the Georgia factory were kept shackled throughout their shift, igniting widespread rage in South Korea. President Trump vehemently opposed the raid. In the face of growing diplomatic embarrassment, the matter became a diplomatic issue, with the US and South Korean governments negotiating the release of the workers. Muñoz said that after the incident, the White House reached out to him directly to apologize. This underscores the need for continued focus on keeping US-South Korea relations strong.
Despite everything that has transpired, Hyundai’s top brass continue to keep an eye on the big picture. Muñoz confirmed that the company’s investment would significantly expand production capacity. It would create new industries and jobs, as well as stimulate technological innovation in the competitive automotive global landscape. Tesla, under Elon Musk’s anti-labor transition leadership, has taken big steps into humanoid robotics with its Optimus project. This expansion is an exemplary move in the OEM’s greater trend toward adoption of advanced robotics.
