Hyundai targets mass production of Atlas robots

Jan 07, 2026, 08:06 am

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Hyundai Motor Group presents its AI robotics strategy at the CES 2026 Media Day held at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas on Jan. 5 (local time). / Courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group

Hyundai Motor Group unveiled an ambitious plan at CES 2026 to mass-produce humanoid robots, pledging to build a system capable of producing up to 30,000 units of its Atlas robot annually by 2028.

The strategy marks a decisive shift from research and development toward full-scale commercialization, positioning robotics as a core industrial business. By integrating its manufacturing, parts, logistics and artificial intelligence capabilities, the group aims to establish an end-to-end value chain spanning robot development, mass production and services.

At the CES 2026 Media Day held on Jan. 5 in Las Vegas, Hyundai Motor Group presented its vision of an “AI robotics ecosystem powered by group-wide capabilities.” Leveraging decades of automotive manufacturing know-how and the technological strengths of its affiliates, the group said it plans to lead the commercialization of physical AI through a fully integrated production and service structure.

Under the plan, robots will be treated not as standalone products but as business platforms combining manufacturing, software and services. The ecosystem is designed to create a virtuous cycle in which advanced AI robotics capabilities accelerate mass production and expand service applications.

A data-based production and validation system lies at the heart of the strategy. Hyundai Motor Group’s Metaplant America (HMGMA), where next-generation electric Atlas models will be deployed, is being developed as a Software Defined Factory (SDF), in which all manufacturing processes are operated through data and software.

Production data from vehicle assembly lines will be used to train robots and improve their performance, while robots refined through real-world deployment will feed new data back into the system. Before entering live production lines, robots will undergo mapping-based learning and training at the Robot Metaplant Application Center (RMAC).

Hyundai said the combination of training data from RMAC and real-time operational data from SDF facilities will form a circular learning structure, enabling robots to continuously evolve into faster, safer and more capable systems.

To support this roadmap, Hyundai Motor Group is strengthening partnerships with global AI leaders, most notably Nvidia. Since January last year, the two sides have built a strategic partnership to combine Nvidia’s AI infrastructure, simulation libraries and frameworks with Hyundai’s manufacturing data.

The group said this collaboration will significantly accelerate the development of physical AI. A recent memorandum of understanding signed by South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT, Hyundai Motor Group and Nvidia was also highlighted as a step toward boosting domestic AI robotics capabilities.

Mass production will rely heavily on the group’s accumulated automotive manufacturing expertise. Hyundai Motor and Kia will provide production infrastructure, process control and manufacturing data, while Hyundai Mobis will focus on developing precision actuators. Hyundai Glovis will optimize logistics and supply chain operations.

Hyundai Mobis, in particular, will supply actuators for Atlas in cooperation with Boston Dynamics, aiming to expand into the global robot components market. Drawing on its experience in automotive parts design and mass production, the company plans to standardize key robot components and strengthen its role within the robotics ecosystem.

On the service side, Hyundai Motor Group plans to introduce a one-stop Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS) model. Instead of outright purchases, customers will be able to access robots through subscription and usage-based pricing, reducing upfront costs and adoption barriers.

The RaaS offering will include over-the-air software updates, maintenance and repairs, and remote monitoring and control. The group also expects demand from its own global production network alone to reach tens of thousands of units, supporting early-stage commercialization.

Hyundai Motor Group said it will invest 125.2 trillion won domestically over the next five years through 2030, with a significant portion earmarked for AI and robotics. The investment is intended to secure future growth engines and foster a robust domestic robotics ecosystem.

In the United States, the group plans to invest $26 billion over four years starting in 2025 to expand cooperation in AI, robotics and autonomous driving. As part of this effort, a robot factory with annual capacity of 30,000 units is expected to be established, serving as a major production hub in North America.

#Hyundai Motor Group #CES 2026 #Atlas robot #humanoid robots #AI robotics