Hyundai opens new robotics plant in U.S

Hyundai Motor Co. plans to start U.S. production of Boston Dynamics humanoid robots in 2028. The company is investing in a new robotics manufacturing facility to support this goal, with the first 25,000 unit orders already guaranteed by customers, according to Hyundai's president, CEO and internal director, Jose Antonio Muñoz.

Muñoz outlined the plans at the company's investor day on Wednesday. He stated the automotive business, which makes up nearly 80% of Hyundai's revenue, will fund the expansion into autonomous vehicles and robotics. "We are transitioning to a physical AI and technology company," he said.

Factory Expansion and Investment

Hyundai opened its Robot Metaplant Application Center in June. The company plans to expand the site more than tenfold by the end of this year. This center, located within the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America facility in Savannah, Georgia, simulates real factory conditions. It trains manufacturing robots, collects data, and runs testing before commercial production begins.

Beyond this application center, Hyundai is investing in a separate, unspecified U.S. robotics manufacturing facility. The site location is not yet final. "We are actively looking for opportunities," Muñoz said, suggesting more details will come later. He emphasized the need for more capacity, linking the robotics build-out to the company's broader stats on U.S. manufacturing commitments.

Robotics Deployment Timeline

The automaker's roadmap involves deploying Boston Dynamics' Atlas humanoids at the Metaplant America facility in 2028 for parts sequencing tasks. The plan is to expand their use to component assembly by 2030. Hyundai expects the new manufacturing plant to have an annual production capacity of 30,000 units.

Hyundai's push into robotics has been building for years. It bought a controlling 80% stake in Boston Dynamics from Softbank in 2021 for $1.1 billion. The companies have since collaborated to integrate Atlas humanoids and Spot quadrupeds for industrial inspection across Hyundai's factories. Boston Dynamics also makes Stretch mobile robots for warehouse tasks.

Acquisition and Production Strategy

In July, Hyundai agreed to purchase Softbank's remaining shares in Boston Dynamics for roughly $325 million, according to a first report by South Korea's Maeil Business newspaper. This made Boston Dynamics a wholly-owned subsidiary. The move is part of a strategy to diversify revenue streams beyond traditional automotive manufacturing.

Muñoz connected the robotics manufacturing ambition to Hyundai's earlier commitment to build more than 80% of the vehicles it sells in the U.S. domestically by 2030. "We cannot do that without more capacity," he said, indicating the same principle applies to robotics production. The company's approach to fixtures and production line integration will be critical for scaling this new venture.

He concluded by framing the initiative as a large-scale operational shift. "We will be building, deploying, even financing robotics at scale."