Hyundai Motor Group’s humanoid robot “Atlas” (photo), unveiled at “CES 2026,” the world’s largest information technology (IT) and home appliance exhibition, is receiving praise from major foreign media for its technological sophistication. Some observers assess that Hyundai Motor Group has advanced beyond being a conventional automaker to emerge as a robotics company based on physical artificial intelligence (AI).

According to Hyundai Motor Group on the 18th, U.S. news agency AP reported on Atlas, saying, “Hyundai Motor Group has stepped up the race to build robots that look like humans and work in their place.” Boston Dynamics, a Hyundai Motor Group subsidiary, unveiled Atlas at CES 2026 on the 5th (local time). Atlas demonstrated movements such as rotating its shoulder and elbow joints more than 180 degrees, and it received favorable reviews for its human-like walking capabilities. AP noted, “Atlas walked gracefully across the stage,” adding, “Robot manufacturers rarely conduct demonstrations because they fear mistakes.”

There are also high expectations for deployment on manufacturing sites. Hyundai Motor Group plans to introduce Atlas to parts-handling work at “Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America” (HMGMA) in Georgia, United States, starting in 2028. France’s Euronews assessed that Atlas “proved it is not just a prototype.” TechRadar, a U.K.-based technology media outlet, reported that Atlas is “one of the most advanced humanoid robots in the world.”

The strategic shift of Hyundai Motor Group in expanding its business domain to include robotics also drew attention. U.S. automotive media outlet Autoweek reported that “Hyundai’s next revolution is not cars, but robots.” Robot Start, a Japanese robotics specialist media outlet, projected, “As Hyundai Motor Group makes the realization of AI robots possible, it will come to hold leadership (in the industry) in the future.”

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