Hyundai Motor Group AI Robotics Strategy Signals Physical AI Push

Hyundai Motor Group presented its AI Robotics Strategy at CES 2026, positioning the company at the forefront of the emerging Physical AI era. Under the theme “Partnering Human Progress,” the strategy focuses on deploying intelligent robots that can learn, adapt, and operate within real-world environments such as factories, logistics hubs, and mobility ecosystems.
The Hyundai Motor Group AI Robotics Strategy is built around integrating artificial intelligence with physical systems, enabling robots to safely collaborate with humans while delivering scalable industrial value. This approach reflects the group’s long-term vision to transform manufacturing efficiency, supply chain operations, and future mobility through advanced robotics.
Human–Robot Collaboration at the Core
A central pillar of the Hyundai Motor Group AI Robotics Strategy is close collaboration between humans and robots. Robots will initially be deployed in manufacturing environments, where they will handle hazardous, repetitive, and physically demanding tasks. Human workers will continue to supervise operations, ensuring safety, decision-making authority, and quality control remain firmly human-led.
Key focus areas include:

• Reducing physical strain on factory workers

• Improving workplace safety

• Enhancing productivity through task automation

End-to-End AI Robotics Value Chain
Hyundai Motor Group plans to create a fully integrated end-to-end AI robotics ecosystem. Manufacturing infrastructure from Hyundai Motor Company and Kia will combine with logistics optimization capabilities from Hyundai Glovis. Hyundai Mobis will contribute standardized components and designs optimized for manufacturability, while Boston Dynamics will lead the development of high-performance actuators and robotic platforms.
This integrated value chain will support:

• AI model training and validation

• Large-scale robot production

• Ongoing service and performance optimization

Strategic AI Partnerships
To accelerate humanoid intelligence and safe deployment, Hyundai Motor Group is collaborating with global AI leaders such as NVIDIA and Google DeepMind. These partnerships are expected to strengthen robot perception, decision-making, and adaptability, enabling humanoid robots to operate reliably across diverse industrial settings.
CES 2026 Demonstrations and Robot Portfolio
At CES 2026, Hyundai Motor Group is showcasing live demonstrations of several robotic platforms, highlighting real-world applications across manufacturing, logistics, and everyday environments. Demonstrations include:

• Atlas humanoid robot

• Spot quadruped robot

• Stretch box-handling robot

• MobED delivery robot

• Autonomous factory and mobility robots

These demonstrations underline the company’s intent to move robotics beyond concepts into scalable industrial use.
Atlas Humanoid and Mass Production Roadmap
Boston Dynamics is introducing the product-ready version of Atlas, a general-purpose industrial humanoid designed for parts sequencing, assembly, and machine tending. By integrating advanced AI foundation models, Atlas is expected to achieve faster learning cycles and safer operational scaling.
Hyundai Motor Group aims to mass-produce Atlas, with a target of 30,000 units annually by 2028. Supporting this ambition, the Robot Metaplant Application Center, scheduled to open in 2026, and the Software-Defined Factory framework will enable data-driven robot training and continuous performance improvement.
Deployment Timeline and Global Investments
Initial deployment of Atlas for sequencing tasks is planned at Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America in 2028, with expansion into assembly operations by 2030. These deployments are expected to reduce physical workload for employees while advancing smart factory capabilities.
To support its robotics and Physical AI ecosystem, Hyundai Group has committed significant investments, including KRW 125.2 trillion in Korea and USD 26 billion in the United States, reinforcing its long-term commitment to AI-driven industrial transformation.