Robotics company Boston Dynamics will train its humanoid robots by deploying them in a car factory operated by its corporate parent, Hyundai Motor Group, the company said today.
Massachusetts-based Boston Dynamics is known for products like the warehouse robots Pick and Handle, the humanoid robot Atlas, the four-legged robot Spot, and the container-unloading robot Stretch. In 2020, Seoul, South Korea-based Hyundai paid about $880 million to buy an 80% stake in Boston Dynamics, with previous owner Softbank Group retaining a 20% share of the company.
Boston Dynamics today announced the next chapter in its robotics and AI strategy, saying it has launched a Robotics Metaplant Application Center (RMAC) at the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA), a 2,900-acre electric vehicle (EV) factory just outside of Savannah, Georgia.
RMAC serves as a testbed and training center for integrating Atlas robots directly into Hyundai Motor Group’s automobile manufacturing operations. The robots are being trained in real-world environments, such as preparing the logistics and sequencing of automotive parts before placing them in the correct order for assembly. By 2030, applications will extend to component assembly. And over time, Atlas will take on new tasks involving repetitive motions and strenuous work like lifting heavy loads.
Hyundai plans to quickly expand the deployment of Atlas robots across its global network, beginning with 25,000 units at Hyundai Motor and Kia’s global plants over the next few years. Additionally, the Group will establish a new production facility in the U.S. capable of producing 30,000 robots annually.
The first phase of the RMAC is now operational at HMGMA, but expansion plans are already underway. Next year, operations will move into a new building in HMGMA that will expand the RMAC to approximately ten times its current size. This facility will support Atlas’ continued preparation for automotive deployments, but Boston Dynamics also said it plans to begin exploring use cases in other industry sectors next year. The company is currently in discussions with several of its existing Spot and Stretch customers in industries including, manufacturing, aerospace, semiconductors, logistics, food & beverage, and life sciences.
