18:50 06-01-2026

Hyundai details 2028 rollout of Atlas humanoid robots for manufacturing at its Georgia plant

At CES in Las Vegas, Hyundai Motor Group laid out a concrete roadmap for physical AI in manufacturing: starting in 2028, Atlas humanoid robots will begin work at the company’s U.S. plant in Georgia. The pitch is deliberately pragmatic: shift higher-risk and repetitive tasks to robots to reduce physical strain on employees and raise product quality.

Atlas’s early duties will be intentionally modest: from 2028 the focus is on parts sequencing—preparing and organizing components for the line. After that comes a gradual ramp-up, contingent on proven safety and tangible benefits on the floor. Hyundai expects Atlas to move into component assembly by 2030 and, over the longer term, to tackle more complex jobs involving heavy loads and coordinated motions, where mistakes carry a higher cost.

Hyundai also emphasized that it recognizes worries about jobs. The company’s position is that people will still handle maintenance, support, and training of the robots, and that some scenarios could even require additional staff. Kia’s experience underscores the point: its union has already raised the need to establish worker-protection frameworks in advance as AI and automation spread.

On the technical side, Atlas is framed as an industrial humanoid: humanlike hands with tactile sensitivity, a payload of up to 50 kg, operability from −20 to +40 °C, and the ability to work autonomously on the factory floor. Hyundai also points to partnerships with Nvidia and Google aimed at accelerating development and improving safety and efficiency in real-world conditions.