Hyundai to buy ‘tens of thousands’ of Boston Dynamics robots

Boston Dynamics Inc. and Hyundai Motor Group yesterday announced plans to deepen their partnership, which includes Hyundai purchasing “tens of thousands” of robots in the coming years. The automaker will also help Boston Dynamics grow by integrating its manufacturing capabilities with Boston Dynamics.

Hyundai said it is already deploying Spot robots for industrial inspection and predictive maintenance at its facilities. The Seoul, South Korea-based company plans to deploy Atlas across its factories.

“Boston Dynamics and robotics AI will play a crucial role in achieving the group’s goal,” stated Jaehoon Chang, vice chair of Hyundai Motor Group. “Physical AI and humanoid robots will transform our business landscape to the next level. Through our collaboration, we will expedite the process to achieve leadership in the robotics industry.”

Last week, Hyundai Motor Group announced that it will invest $21 billion in the U.S., including a $6 billion investment to drive innovation and expand strategic partnerships with U.S. companies.

Earlier this year, Boston Dynamics announced new partnerships with NVIDIA, Google Deepmind, the Toyota Research Institute, and sister company, the Robotics & AI Institute (RAI), to work on improving its robots.

Boston Dynamics released an electric version of its Atlas robot in April 2024. At the time, the Waltham, Mass.-based company said it would begin testing Atlas with Hyundai and other select partners in 2025. The updated legged robot earned Boston Dynamics a RBR50 Robotics Innovation Award.

Humanoids race to real-world deployments

When Atlas is officially working in Hyundai facilities, Boston Dynamics will join a small group of humanoid developers that have begun commercial deployments. The humanoid robot market has grown increasingly crowded in recent years.

In 2024, GXO officially deployed a “small fleet” of Digit humanoids from Agility Robotics at a Spanx facility in Georgia. Later, Schaeffler AG made a minority investment into Agility and planned to buy Digit robots for use across its global plant network. These marked the first paid deployments for humanoid robots.

Figure AI is also shipping its Figure 02 system to its first paying customers. While Figure has not revealed the identity of its first customer, the company said BMW Group had tested Figure 02 for handling fitted sheet-metal parts on its automotive production line for two weeks in Spartanburg, S.C.

While it hasn’t announced any paying customers, Apptronik has agreements with industry leaders Mercedes-Benz and GXO Logistics to test its Apollo humanoid in real-world applications.

By 2035, the global market for humanoid robots could grow to more than $38 billion, according to Goldman Sachs. Boston Dynamics said it will work with Hyundai to better understand its manufacturing needs and where robots can help the automaker increase productivity and efficiency.

“Today marks a pivotal moment because with its commitment and support, Hyundai Motor Group will become our biggest customer,” said Robert Playter, CEO of Boston Dynamics. “It will help us to build successful AI policies and will also unlock the group’s vast commercial relationships to help establish strategic customers for products like Stretch, entering into multi-lateral agreements in which we may deliver robots, trucks, and electric vehicles together.”

Hyundai acquired Boston Dynamics from SoftBank in 2021 for $880 million.

Boston Dynamics to share Atlas insights at Robotics Summit

Humanoids will be prominent at the Robotics Summit & Expo, which will be on April 30 and May 1 in Boston and is produced by WTWH Media, parent organization of The Robot Report.

Aaron Saunders, chief technology officer at Boston Dynamics, will open the summit with “Redesigning Atlas: Boston Dynamics on the Future of Humanoids.” During this keynote, he will unpack the development and capabilities of the electric version of Atlas and share insights from being at the forefront of humanoid development.

Saunders will explore the challenges and opportunities of building humanoids for real-world applications. It will also offer a behind-the-scenes look at how Hyundai and Boston Dynamics continue to push the frontier for robotics.

In addition to Saunders’ opening keynote, the first day of the event will feature a panel on the state of humanoids with Pras Velagapudi, chief technology officer at Agility Robotics; Aaron Prather, director of robotics and autonomous systems at ASTM International; and Al Makke, director of engineering at Schaeffler.

They will explore the technical and business challenges shaping the development of humanoids. The panelists will also share insights from early deployments, the ongoing efforts to establish safety standards, and what’s on the horizon.

The Robotics Summit & Expo will bring together more than 5,000 developers focused on building robots for a variety of commercial applications. Attendees can gain insights into the latest enabling technologies, engineering best practices, and emerging trends.

The show will feature more than 200 exhibitors, over 70 speakers on stage, and more than 10 hours of dedicated networking time. It will also include a Women in Robotics Breakfast, a career fair, a startup showcase, and more.

Returning to the show are the RBR50 Pavilion and RBR50 Awards Dinner, which will honor the winners of the annual RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards.

Registration is now open.