[CES 2026] Hyundai Motor Group Introduces E2E Value Chain... To Produce 30,000 Robots Annually (Comprehensive)

Building an Ecosystem Through Affiliate Collaboration
Hyundai Motor and Kia to Oversee Manufacturing Infrastructure
Hyundai Mobis to Develop Actuators

Hyundai Motor Group has announced a partnership with Google DeepMind in the field of "physical artificial intelligence (AI)," accelerating the development of AI robots. Each affiliate will take on specific roles in robot development to build an ecosystem, and the group plans to establish a system capable of producing 30,000 robots annually by 2028. In industrial settings, the company aims to create a model where humans and robots work together. Robots will handle tasks with high mental and physical fatigue, such as parts sorting and assembly, while humans will take on higher value-added roles, fostering a relationship of coexistence.

Jang Jaehoon, Vice Chairman of Hyundai Motor Group, is speaking at the media briefing for CES 2026, the world's largest electronics and IT exhibition, held on the 5th (local time) at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, USA. Hyundai Motor Group

Jang Jaehoon, Vice Chairman of Hyundai Motor Group, stated at the media briefing for CES 2026, the world's largest electronics and IT exhibition, held on the 5th (local time) at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, USA, "Rather than robots replacing jobs, the advantage is that people can move to more value-added labor. Simple, repetitive, or dangerous tasks are often avoided, but now new jobs related to robots will be created."

Hyundai Motor Group will build an "AI robotics" ecosystem and promote mass production and commercialization based on its manufacturing expertise and infrastructure. The core of this initiative is the "end-to-end (E2E) value chain," which combines automotive production infrastructure, know-how, and the technological capabilities of group affiliates.

Hyundai Motor and Kia will be responsible for manufacturing infrastructure, process control, and production data. At RMAC, where robot data is collected and robots are optimized, robots will be trained and then deployed to the advanced smart factory known as the "Software Defined Factory (SDF)." Hyundai Mobis will develop precision actuators, the key components of robots, while Hyundai Glovis will be in charge of optimizing logistics and supply chain flows. Leveraging the manufacturing expertise and global mass production experience of its affiliates, the group plans to establish a system capable of producing 30,000 robots annually by 2028.

Robert Playter, CEO of Boston Dynamics, is speaking at the media briefing of CES 2026, the world's largest electronics and IT exhibition, held on the 5th (local time) at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, USA. Hyundai Motor Group

On this day, Hyundai Motor Group unveiled its humanoid robot, the next-generation electric Atlas, for the first time, optimized for manufacturing innovation. Atlas is capable of learning most tasks within a day, and the skills it acquires can be shared with other robots via the Orbit platform. Additionally, after about four hours of operation, if the battery runs low, Atlas is designed to autonomously go to a charging station, replace its battery, and resume work. With 56 degrees of freedom (DoF), most of its joints can rotate fully, and its human-sized hands are equipped with tactile sensors. It is also easy to detect its surroundings using a 360-degree camera. Atlas can operate in environments ranging from -20 to 40 degrees Celsius and is waterproof, making cleaning easy.

Robert Playter, CEO of Boston Dynamics, said, "Atlas is a 'superhuman.' It is stronger than humans and capable of a wider range of motions, which enables it to take on various roles." Jack Jackowski, Head of Atlas Development at Boston Dynamics, commented, "We went beyond simply copying real-world movements; we adopted the advantages of reality, but improved certain aspects, such as enabling the joints to move 360 degrees."

Atlas was recently tested at Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA), performing tasks such as lifting objects and car bodies. Starting in 2028, Atlas will be introduced at HMGMA for sequencing tasks related to parts sorting. From 2030, its scope will expand to parts assembly, and ultimately, it will take on precise tasks that require high levels of mental and physical endurance.

At this year's CES, Hyundai Motor Group is holding an experience- and demonstration-focused exhibition to showcase the specific roles of robots in daily life and workspaces. Visitors can see Atlas performing sequencing tasks and experience changes in everyday life through the next-generation mobility robot platform "MobED." Demonstrations will also include the electric vehicle automatic charging robot and Hyundai Wia's parking robot, which assists with parking in tight spaces.