LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Hyundai unveiled its Atlas humanoid robot at CES 2026 this week, calling it the “Ferrari version of a humanoid” and announcing plans to deploy it in manufacturing facilities within the next few years.
The robot, developed by Boston Dynamics, stands 6 feet 2 inches tall and features 360-degree mobility designed specifically for industrial work tasks that differ from human capabilities.
“The technology has drastically advanced in the last few years,” a company representative said. “The advent of AI, specifically for robotics, has really changed what we’re able to accomplish.”
Robot capabilities and specifications
Atlas can lift 110 pounds and continuously carry 66 pounds while operating in extreme conditions ranging from minus-4 degrees to 104 degrees Fahrenheit. The robot learns new tasks by watching humans perform jobs and receives notifications when it fails at a task.
“And it can continue to get better and better over time, based on what it learned from what we told it,” the representative said.
The water-resistant robot is designed to work in industrial facilities that are not always air-conditioned.
“The reason especially that Atlas needs to work at high temperatures is because facilities, especially industrial facilities, are not always air conditioned,” the representative said. “So that any jobs where there’s heavy lifting, taxing labor, also done in really high temperature environments, Atlas can help out with it.”
Deployment timeline
Hyundai plans to begin rolling out Atlas robots for heavy sequencing tasks in 2028, with operational expansion planned for 2030.
“So our plan with Hyundai is to start rolling Atlas out to do high, heavy sequencing tasks in 2028,” the representative said. “So Atlas will be doing sequencing in Hyundai facilities in the next few years. And then by 2030, that’s really when our operational expansion will become a lot bigger.”
Tech companies say labor shortages in industrial work create opportunities for robotic assistance.
“And tech companies tell me that there is a labor shortage for certain kinds of work, especially in the industrial industry,” FOX5’s Sophia Bruinsma reported from CES. “That’s when they say these types of robotic machines will come into play to help.”
Atlas currently operates on four hours of battery life. Boston Dynamics says while the robot is built for industrial work, other uses are possible for future robots.
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