At CES 2026, Hyundai Motor Group unveiled an ambitious AI Robotics Strategy designed to position the company as a global leader in the emerging Physical AI industry. Under the theme “Partnering Human Progress,” the Group presented a comprehensive roadmap focused on advancing human-robot collaboration through intelligent robotics, smart manufacturing, and strategic partnerships with leading AI and robotics innovators.
Building upon its CES 2022 vision of “Expanding Human Reach,” Hyundai Motor Group is shifting from hardware-centric robotics toward AI-powered autonomous systems capable of collaborating with humans across industrial and everyday environments. The strategy combines the Group’s manufacturing expertise, global production network, and extensive technology ecosystem to accelerate the commercialization of next-generation robotics solutions.
A Three-Pillar Strategy for Human-Centered AI Robotics
The foundation of Hyundai Motor Group’s AI Robotics vision rests on three strategic partnerships designed to drive innovation and create new opportunities across industries.
The first pillar focuses on collaboration between humans and co-working robots. Rather than replacing workers, these intelligent machines are designed to handle repetitive, hazardous, and physically demanding tasks while allowing employees to focus on higher-value responsibilities and oversight.
The second pillar leverages the combined strengths of Hyundai Motor Group and Boston Dynamics to establish a complete end-to-end AI robotics value chain. This partnership aims to accelerate robot development, training, validation, manufacturing, and deployment on a global scale.
The third pillar centers on collaboration with global AI leaders, including partnerships with NVIDIA and Google DeepMind, to develop advanced AI models capable of powering next-generation humanoid robots and Physical AI applications.
Atlas Humanoid Robot Takes Center Stage
One of the most significant announcements at CES 2026 was the unveiling of the commercial product version of the Atlas humanoid robot from Boston Dynamics.
Designed specifically for industrial environments, Atlas represents a major advancement in humanoid robotics. The robot features 56 degrees of freedom, human-scale hands equipped with tactile sensing, advanced rotational joints, and AI-powered learning capabilities that allow it to adapt quickly to new tasks.
According to Hyundai Motor Group, Atlas can be trained to perform most industrial tasks in less than a day and is capable of lifting loads up to 50 kilograms. The robot is engineered to operate autonomously, including automatic battery replacement, and is designed to function safely in challenging industrial environments.
The Group plans to begin deploying Atlas robots at the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) in Savannah, Georgia, starting in 2028. Initial applications will focus on parts sequencing operations before expanding to assembly processes and other complex manufacturing tasks by 2030.
Building the Physical AI Ecosystem
Hyundai Motor Group views Physical AI as the next evolution of artificial intelligence, where AI systems interact directly with the physical world through robots, smart factories, autonomous vehicles, and connected industrial systems.
To support this vision, the company plans to establish the Hyundai Motor Group Physical AI Application Center and develop dedicated robot manufacturing facilities capable of producing advanced robotic systems at scale.
The strategy leverages data collected across the company’s entire value chain—from manufacturing and logistics to sales and operations – to continuously improve AI models through real-world learning and deployment.
By creating a feedback loop between physical operations and AI development, Hyundai aims to accelerate innovation while improving the performance, safety, and reliability of robotic systems.
Smart Factories and Data-Driven Robot Training
A key component of Hyundai Motor Group’s strategy is the integration of robotics into its Software-Defined Factory (SDF) ecosystem. These intelligent manufacturing facilities use software, automation, and real-time data to optimize production processes and support continuous robot learning.
Complementing this approach is the Robot Metaplant Application Center (RMAC), scheduled to open in the United States in 2026. RMAC will serve as a dedicated training environment where robots learn complex tasks by analyzing human movements and operational workflows.
The combination of RMAC and Software-Defined Factories creates a continuous improvement cycle in which robots gather real-world data, refine their capabilities, and return to production environments with enhanced performance.
This data-driven approach is expected to play a crucial role in accelerating the deployment of Atlas and other robotic platforms across Hyundai’s global operations.
Strengthening Robotics Through Strategic Partnerships
Hyundai Motor Group’s AI Robotics Strategy is supported by collaborations with some of the world’s leading AI and technology companies.
The Group has expanded its partnership with NVIDIA to leverage advanced AI infrastructure, simulation tools, and development frameworks that support Physical AI innovation. The collaboration aims to accelerate the development of robotics, autonomous systems, and smart factory technologies.
In addition, Boston Dynamics has announced a strategic partnership with Google DeepMind. The collaboration will combine Boston Dynamics’ robotics expertise with Google DeepMind’s advanced AI foundation models, including Gemini Robotics, to create more capable, adaptable, and intelligent humanoid robots.
Together, the companies aim to improve robot perception, reasoning, tool usage, and human interaction capabilities while ensuring safe and scalable deployment across industries.
Expanding Commercialization Through Robotics-as-a-Service
Hyundai Motor Group also plans to accelerate robotics adoption through its Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) model. Instead of relying solely on traditional hardware sales, customers will be able to access robotic solutions through subscription-based services that include software updates, maintenance, remote monitoring, and operational support.
The model has already been deployed with global organizations including DHL, Nestlé, and Maersk, demonstrating the growing demand for flexible robotics solutions across logistics, manufacturing, and supply chain operations.
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