Hyundai is set to acquire ‘tens of thousands of robots,’ from Boston Dynamics as part of a major $21 billion investment in its U.S. operations between 2025 and 2028 to build “the next generation of automotive manufacturing.”
The partnership support Boston Dynamics’ ability to scale up over the coming years through the integration of manufacturing capabilities, which will result in the creation of one of the largest manufacturers of advanced mobile robots globally.
In 2021, Hyundai acquired a majority interest in the robot manufacturer from SoftBank, which retains 20 percent ownership. Now it can begin to take advantage of the manufacturing, logistics, and automation expertise as it seeks to strengthen its robotics value chain. The automaker has already leveraged Boston Dynamics’ mobile robot, Spot, which is designed in the likeness of a dog in robot form and facilitates industrial inspection and predictive maintenance at its operations.
Next, it plans to utilize Boston Dynamics’ Atlas, a humanoid robot that is being tested and has the capacity to reimagine how vehicles are made and will cement its place as a leader in the field.
“The opportunity for advanced robots in the mobility industry is massive,” said Boston Dynamics CEO Robert Playter, who also noted that Hyundai Motor Group will become Boston Dynamics’ biggest customer and will support it as it builds new AI policies, while it will benefit from access to Hyundai’s expansive commercial network.
