Hyundai union sees humanoid robots as jobs threat - Automotive World

Hyundai plans to manufacture 30,000 humanoid robots annually by 2028 with a target price below US$320,000, leveraging automotive manufacturing expertise to facilitate mass production. The production-ready Atlas features 56 degrees of freedom with many joints capable of 360-degree rotation, tactile sensing for handling delicate parts, and hot-swappable batteries that allow continuous operation in four-hour shifts.

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We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. By Stewart Burnett

Hyundai’s labour union has warned the South Korean automaker against deploying humanoid robots without union approval, stating the technology would bring “employment shocks” to the workforce. The organisation warned in a 22 January statement that “not a single robot can be deployed at worksites without an agreement between the union and management”.

Hyundai unveiled its ambitious robotics plans at CES 2026, which includes deploying Boston Dynamics’ Atlas humanoid robots to HMG Metaplant America by 2028, identifying the technology as a major growth engine. The automaker stated that the robots would focus primarily on repetitive and dangerous tasks generally avoided by humans, improving overall labour efficiency without necessarily displacing workers. News Articles Magazine Data Newsletters Events

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Hyundai union sees humanoid robots as jobs threat

Workers have warned that no robots can be deployed in Hyundai factories until an agreement is reached with unions. By Stewart Burnett

By Stewart Burnett