Hyundai veut 25.000 humanoïdes Atlas de Boston Dynamics dans ses usines d'ici 2030

Hyundai wants about 25.000 Atlas humanoid robots, designed by its subsidiary Boston Dynamics, working in Hyundai and Kia factories by 2030, German site heise online reports. The stated goal is fully automated parts assembly, with robots also taking over physically demanding work.

To prepare the robots, Boston Dynamics has opened the Robotics Metaplant Application Center (RMAC), a kind of “training camp” for humanoids. It is located at Hyundai’s “Metaplant America” site, near Savannah in the US state of Georgia.

On site, Atlas robots already carry out real car-industry tasks: sorting parts, putting them back in the right order and helping with logistics. The centre is expected to be significantly expanded from 2027, and a tenfold expansion has been mentioned.

Not everyone is applauding. The Kia union has asked the company to appoint an officer responsible for protecting employees’ rights in the face of artificial intelligence and robotics. Hyundai, for its part, plays down fears of job losses and points to the staff needed to run and maintain the robot fleet.

To build that many robots, Hyundai wants to build its own robot factory in the United States. According to current plans, up to 30.000 Atlas robots could be produced there each year.