Hyundai Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp. are joining forces to develop AI-powered humanoid robots, potentially reshaping the future of manufacturing and challenging Tesla Inc.’s position in the field.
The collaboration, announced October 16, aims to combine Hyundai-owned Boston Dynamics’ expertise with Toyota Research Institute’s large behavior model to enhance the capabilities of robots like Atlas. This partnership comes as Tesla faces scrutiny over its Optimus bot, which was allegedly controlled remotely during a recent demonstration.
Aaron Saunders, Boston Dynamics’ chief technology officer, revealed plans to deploy humanoid robots in Hyundai factories “within the next few years.” The initiative could significantly reduce manufacturing costs in automobile plants.
Founded in 1992 by former MIT professor Marc Raibert, Boston Dynamics has been a pioneer in robotics, known for its bipedal and quadrupedal robots. The company was acquired by Hyundai in 2020.
While industrial robots have long been used in manufacturing, this collaboration seeks to develop more versatile, AI-driven humanoid robots capable of performing a wider range of tasks. The move signals a growing competition in the robotics industry, with major automakers vying for dominance in this emerging field.
