Hyundai Motor Group is currently working towards bringing future factory workers that include human-like robots to a forthcoming manufacturing plant in Georgia. This purchase represents a heating up of the automotive behemoth’s plans to increase manufacturing capacity here at home. This initiative, along with other inclusive economic investments totaling more than $20 billion, aims to do just that. It’s designed to increase local manufacturing, fulfilling the last administration’s stated objectives of enhancing American industry.
The decision to deploy humanoid robots follows Hyundai’s recent demonstration of Atlas, a sophisticated robot developed by Boston Dynamics, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) held in Las Vegas. Atlas has been built for broader industrial applications. LiDAR and computer vision allow it to operate as an autonomous teammate to human workers, managing machines and production tasks autonomously. We begin rolling out these robots in 2028. Over time, they will begin to take on more responsibilities on the factory floor.
Hyundai Motor Group’s historic investment in the United States is a testament to the company’s commitment to increasing support for domestic manufacturing. The company aims to create jobs and enhance its production capabilities while investing in emerging technologies such as autonomous driving and artificial intelligence (AI). This holistic approach is an early indication of the company’s longer-term ambition to drive innovation across and beyond the automotive industry.
This new announcement comes on the heels of a contentious Sioux Falls Public Record Auditorium meeting in September 2025. Earlier that week, U.S. immigration enforcement agents had stormed Hyundai Motor Group’s factory in Georgia. This raid, perhaps surprisingly, hit the hardest wall of resistance, coming from South Korean officials. They were especially incensed by accounts of workers kept in shackles throughout the entire operation. President Donald Trump rebuked the raid in full view of the world. He claimed that the U.S. and South Korea shared a common understanding on the need for foreign experts to assist with establishing specialized facilities and training local employees. Since this tragic incident, the White House has been hard at work. They called José Muñoz, the chief executive of Hyundai Motor Group, to convey their remorse over the missteps of immigration enforcement agents.
Washington and Seoul moved quickly to quell the storm of controversy following the raid. They managed to secure a contract settlement that allowed for the release of the workers taken hostage. This tragic incident invites us to consider how labor relations and immigration policy have been shaped in our globalized economy. It’s especially devastating to multinational corporations with a global footprint such as Hyundai.
Hyundai Motor Group is also on a similar ambitious expansion and investment in technology. This begins a landmark era for its in-country operations in the U.S. Atlas and other cutting-edge technologies are set to transform production efficiency. They will be just as responsible for creating the collaborative environment that will allow robots and human workers to flourish side-by-side.