Car giant Hyundai to use human-like robots in factories
Hyundai Motor Group has announced that it will introduce human-like robots in its factories from 2028, at a time when major companies are racing to use the new technology.
The South Korean company exhibited the humanoid robot Atlas, developed by Boston Dynamics, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas on Monday.
Hyundai said it “plans to integrate Atlas into its global network”, including a factory in the US state of Georgia, which was involved in a major immigration raid in 2025.
Other companies that say they will use humanoid robots in their operations include Amazon, Tesla and Chinese automaker BYD.
Hyundai said Atlas robots will take on more and more tasks. The firm owns a majority stake in Boston Dynamics, the technology company famous for the robot dog Spot.
Designed for general industrial use, Atlas is being developed to work alongside humans and manage machines autonomously.
Hyundai said the robots will help relieve physical stress on human workers, perform potentially dangerous tasks and pave the way for broader use of the technology.
The company did not initially say how many robots it would deploy or how much the project would cost.
Speaking at CES, Hyundai vice president Jaehoon Chang acknowledged concerns that human workers could lose jobs to robots. But he said humans would still be needed to train the robots, among other tasks, Reuters news agency reported.
Monday’s announcement comes after Hyundai said it would invest more than $20bn (£15.5bn) in the US in 2025 and back President Donald Trump’s plans to increase production in the country.
The company said it will expand car production in the United States and invest in autonomous driving technology and artificial intelligence (AI).
Elon Musk’s electric car manufacturer Tesla also invested heavily in its humanoid robot Optimus.
The battery factory in Georgia, which Hyundai operates jointly with electronics giant LG, is one of the company’s most important facilities in the USA.
In September 2025, US immigration officials raided the facility and arrested hundreds of workers, including at least 300 South Korean citizens.
Workers’ legs were chained in scenes that sparked outrage in South Korea.
President Lee Jae Myung and Hyundai CEO José Muñoz warned that the crackdown could deter foreign investment in the United States.
Later that month, Washington and Seoul reached an agreement on the release of detained workers.
Trump said he opposed the raid and that the United States had an “understanding” with the world that experts should be brought in to build specialized facilities and train local workers.
Muñoz said the White House called him in November to apologize for the raid.
