Recently, Hyundai Motor Group announced its own ambitious plans to implement humanoid robots, called Atlas, into its factories. Make no mistake, Boston Dynamics didn’t create Atlas with these applications in mind. In addition to working alongside human employees, this robot will autonomously manage machines. This new collaborative model goes further for the automotive behemoth. Starting in 2028, they intend to roll out the Atlas humanoids at a manufacturing plant in Georgia, USA.
Atlas was released as part of an initiative by Hyundai to increase U.S. car manufacturing. They’re doing so because they’re making multi-billion dollar bets on future mobility being all about autonomous driving technology and artificial intelligence (AI). On a recent smart city technology presentation at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas earlier this month, Hyundai showed off the remarkable capabilities of the Atlas robots. These advanced machines can enormously improve efficiency across factory floors.
José Muñoz, Hyundai’s chief executive, underscored just how important this breakthrough is for the automaker. He emphasized its importance for the future of manufacturing in broader terms. “The integration of Atlas will allow us to increase efficiency and productivity while maintaining a safe working environment for our employees,” Muñoz stated.
The welcome announcement comes at a time when alarm bells are ringing over foreign investment into the U.S. Fast forward to September 2025, and U.S. immigration enforcement officers stormed a Hyundai manufacturing plant. This action has succeeded in stirring the sands of investor uncertainty, especially regarding potential investment chilling effects. Following this incident, President Lee Jae Myung and Muñoz warned that such actions could negatively influence investor confidence in the U.S. market. The raid sparked outrage in South Korea, leading to significant media attention and public outcry over reports of detained workers being shackled.
In response to these tensions, Washington and Seoul managed to reach an agreement to release the detained workers later that same month. Trump’s necessitated the former President going on the offense—railed against this ridiculous and unwanted raid. He pointed to the U.S. “understanding” with the rest of the world as being one of the reasons why skilled experts should be more accessible.
Alarmingly, despite these challenges, Hyundai has not wavered from its ambitious growth plan. In 2025, the automaker announced plans to invest more than $20 billion in the U.S., further solidifying its position in the automotive industry while aiming to enhance technological advancements.