Boston Dynamics eyes 25,000 Atlas rollout as it begins robot testing at Hyundai plant

The viral parkour stunts and backflips are officially over. Boston Dynamics is putting its famous humanoid robot, Atlas, to work on the factory floor. Boston Dynamics has launched the Robotics Metaplant Application Center (RMAC) inside Hyundai Motor Group’s Metaplant America campus near Savannah, Georgia. The goal is to establish a dedicated testbed and training hub for physical AI and commercial robotics. Hyundai plans to deploy 25,000 Atlas units across its global Hyundai and Kia facilities over the coming years, culminating in full autonomous component assembly and heavy-load labor by 2030. “Together with Hyundai Motor Group, we are pioneering physical AI at enterprise scale,” said Zack Jackowski, Chief Product & Technology Officer at Boston Dynamics. “We have established a clear strategy to optimize our supply chain, production, testing, and deployment capabilities for Atlas. RMAC reinforces our shared ambition to create a future where robots amplify human potential by making work safer and more productive.” Large-scale deployment In the last few years, millions watched Atlas perform jaw-dropping acrobatics in lab videos. Now, human trainers teleoperate the robots in real-world factory conditions, teaching them to handle automotive parts logistics, sequence assembly lines, and organize heavy components. By 2030, plans call for Atlas to handle full component assembly and take on dangerous, back-breaking labor. Atlas can lift up to 50 kg (110 lbs) peak and maintain a 30 kg (66 lbs) continuous payload. It has a ~4-hour operating runtime and supports autonomous battery swaps for round-the-clock factory operations. Equipped with custom tactile grippers for handling automotive components, the robot boasts 56 total degrees of freedom. The autonomous robot is also built to handle harsh workplace environments, performing reliably in temperatures from freezing lows of -20°C to highs of 40°C (-4°F to 104°F). Hyundai is not experimenting on the margins. The auto giant plans to deploy 25,000 Atlas units across its global Hyundai and Kia manufacturing plants over the coming years. To supply that massive fleet, the Group will build a dedicated U.S. production facility capable of churning out 30,000 robots every single year. Boston Dynamics and Hyundai Motor Group are scaling up humanoid automation in phases, starting with Atlas robots currently handling real-world parts sorting, logistics, and sequencing at the RMAC facility. Operations will relocate to a dedicated facility ten times larger in 2027 to expand testing into non-automotive sectors. Easing human tasks Hyundai expects Atlas robots to enter component assembly lines within the decade, laying the framework for broader industrial adoption. The humanoid units will eventually handle heavy lifting, repetitive movements, and complex manufacturing operations across various production sites. This transition aims to reduce physical strain on human workers by shifting high-risk and strenuous tasks directly to automation. Growing workplace automation prompted Kia Corp’s labor union to request a dedicated body to safeguard labor rights in the AI era. Earlier, Hyundai Motor Vice Chair Jaehoon Chang addressed these anxieties about potential job losses and stated that workforce demands will persist because human personnel will remain essential to operate, train, and maintain the robotic fleet. Furthermore, Boston Dynamics is actively collaborating with existing clients to export Atlas beyond auto plants into aerospace, semiconductor fabrication, and life sciences. Get the latest in engineering, tech, space & science - delivered daily to your inbox.Mrigakshi is a science journalist who enjoys writing about space exploration, biology, and technological innovations. Her work has been featured in well-known publications including Nature India, Supercluster, The Weather Channel and Astronomy magazine. If you have pitches in mind, please do not hesitate to email her.