Your local Hyundai dealership could someday start selling humanoid and dog-like robots.
“We have existing potential distribution for selling robots through our dealer partners,” José Muñoz, Hyundai’s CEO, said during the company’s investor day. He added that Hyundai Capital, which already finances cars, is exploring whether it could do the same for robots.
The robotics plan has been years in the making. In 2021, Hyundai Motor Group acquired an 80% controlling stake in Boston Dynamics in a deal valuing the robotics company at $1.1 billion.
Boston Dynamics already sells Spot, a four-legged robot used for industrial inspections, and Stretch, a wheeled, single-armed robot designed to unload boxes from trucks and shipping containers. Hyundai has deployed Spot robots at its facilities for inspections and predictive maintenance. It has also said Spot would inspect vehicle exteriors in the weld shop at its Georgia Metaplant, which builds the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 9 EVs.
Next is Atlas, Boston Dynamics’ humanoid robot with a torso that can swivel 180 degrees. Muñoz said Hyundai would soon begin mass-producing it. In May, Boston Dynamics posted a video of Atlas squatting down, lifting a mini-fridge, and carrying it to an engineer:
Hyundai is not alone in its robotics ambitions — especially in the auto industry.
Figure’s robots are moving and sorting heavy auto components in BMW’s Spartanburg, South Carolina, assembly plant. Agility Robotics signed a deal to bring its teal humanoids to Toyota’s Canadian manufacturing plants. Apptronik’s Apollo humanoid robot is also walking around Mercedes-Benz’s plants, helping deliver parts to workers and inspect components.
Tesla is also developing a humanoid robot, Optimus, which Elon Musk has said could eventually perform work in factories and homes. Tesla is installing its first Optimus production lines in Fremont, California, at a plant that previously built the Model S and Model X.
Consumer-ready humanoids remain much rarer.
1X is taking deposits for NEO, a home robot that costs $20,000 to own. The company says its first US deliveries will begin this year. Chinese robotics company Unitree also sells humanoids online, including the $13,500 G1 and $4,900 R1, but those robots are marketed largely to researchers, developers, schools, and enthusiasts.
What’s unclear for Hyundai and Boston Dynamics is who would buy their robots. Hyundai representatives did not immediately say whether Muñoz was describing sales to individual consumers, commercial customers, or both.
Read the full article here
