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.
Key takeaways
The most recent developments in humanoid robotics include several high‑profile launches and strategic deployments announced in late January 2026. Agibot, the embodied‑intelligence specialist that shipped more than 5,100 units in 2025, officially entered the Malaysian market on 25 January, marking the first of a series of Asia‑Pacific roll‑outs for the company. In the United States, Fauna Robotics introduced a friendly, child‑scale humanoid called Sprout on 27 January; the robot’s soft, padded exterior and expressive “eyebrows” are designed for direct interaction in homes and offices, and early customers already include Disney and Boston Dynamics. The following day, Oversonic Robotics unveiled its next‑generation cognitive humanoid RoBee for the U.S. market, emphasizing applications in healthcare, care services, and advanced manufacturing. Hyundai announced plans to integrate AI‑powered Atlas humanoids into its Georgia auto plant, targeting deployment of up to 30 000 units per year beginning in 2028, with an initial rollout scheduled for 2026. At the same time, OpenAI quietly expanded a dedicated robotics lab in San Francisco, employing around 100 data collectors to teach humanoid platforms household tasks, and signaled a forthcoming second site in Richmond, California. Finally, at a Davos panel, robotics experts highlighted the need for better sensors and learning‑from‑human demonstrations to move humanoid robots from demos to reliable, large‑scale use in logistics and service settings.
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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Home › News › Hyundai union sees humanoid robots as jobs threat
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
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