AI-powered humanoid robot Atlas to begin trials at Hyundai Motor factories this year

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AI-powered humanoid robot Atlas to begin trials at Hyundai Motor factories this year

Published: 10 Mar. 2025, 10:44 Updated: 11 Mar. 2025, 13:56

SARAH CHEA
[email protected]

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Boston Dynamics' Atlas, an AI-powered humanoid robot. [HYUNDAI MOTOR]

Atlas, an AI-powered humanoid robot from Hyundai Motor-backed Boston Dynamics, is set to begin trial operations at the carmaker's manufacturing factories by the end of the year.

Boston Dynamics recently uploaded a video on YouTube showing Atlas being trained with AI, where it is learning to perform basic tasks, such as picking up, carrying and placing parts and then repeating these tasks.

Atlas, an AI-powered humanoid robot from Boston Dynamics, is being trained to perform repetitive tasks in manufacturing plants. [HYUDAI MOTOR]

In particular, Atlas is being trained to use its camera sensors for sequencing — a process that organizes thousands of auto parts in the specific order needed for car production, ensuring vehicles can be assembled more quickly and accurately.

"For [the sequencing] task, we've given Atlas a basic description of the end state that we want, so we have this output dolly that needs to be filled with engine covers in a particular order," said Andres Valenzuela, a robotics engineer at Boston Dynamics, in the video.

"Atlas also received a description of the entire task architecture we've provided, and then it combines those two elements to carry out the sequencing process."

Atlas is also being trained to complete tasks successfully in the dark and to develop capabilities to respond to urgent situations, Hyundai said.

Atlas, an AI-powered humanoid robot from Boston Dynamics, is being trained to perform repetitive tasks in manufacturing plants. [HYUDAI MOTOR]

The humanoid robot is expected to be deployed at Hyundai's EV plant in Georgia, which is set to begin mass operations in March, and at Kia's electric van-focused factory in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, which is scheduled to open in July.

Boston Dynamics' four-legged robot dog, Spot, is already in use at Hyundai's plant in Singapore.

Global automakers are racing to integrate humanoid robots into their manufacturing sites to gain an edge in the competitive robotics sector.

Tesla introduced two Optimus humanoid robots into its factories starting in June last year, while BMW is also testing the Figure 02 humanoid at its Spartanburg plant in South Carolina.

BY SARAH CHEA [[email protected]]