Hyundai Motor Group's robotics subsidiary, Boston Dynamics, is advancing its production plans for the humanoid robot Atlas.
On May 18, the group held an investor relations meeting in the United States focused on its robotics strategy, where it announced plans for the mass production of Atlas.
The key objective is to introduce over 25,000 Atlas robots into Hyundai and Kia production facilities. The group aims to establish an annual production system for 30,000 robots by 2028, with 83% of these allocated to Hyundai and Kia.
In the initial phase of Atlas production, the costs are expected to be high, so the strategy is to leverage Hyundai and Kia's purchasing power to achieve economies of scale.
Recently, Kia President Song Ho-sung stated at another investor meeting, "In the first one to two years, we will deploy a large number of robots in U.S. factories to accumulate data and ensure safety. Once the effectiveness of Atlas in specific processes is proven, we can easily expand to other factories due to the similar layouts of global automotive plants."
The key component, the actuator, will be produced locally in the U.S. at a rate of 350,000 units per year. A production facility for humanoid actuators, with an annual capacity exceeding 350,000 units, will be established and operational by 2028.
Actuators serve as the driving mechanism for robot joints and account for 60% of the total manufacturing cost of the humanoid. Hyundai Mobis is expected to manage the operation of the production facility for Atlas actuators.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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