Kia America Inc., part of Hyundai Motor Group, will introduce Boston Dynamics' Atlas humanoid robots at its Georgia manufacturing facility starting in 2029. This follows the CES 2026 unveiling and Hyundai's planned 2028 rollout at the nearby Metaplant in Savannah. Kia aims to expand the robots—rivals to Tesla's Optimus—to other global factories, starting with simple manufacturing tasks. Separately, Kia is developing software-defined vehicles with Level 2 autonomy by around 2027.
Kia America Inc. plans to deploy Atlas humanoid robots from Boston Dynamics at its Georgia plant in 2029, as reported by Benzinga. This builds on Hyundai Motor Group's earlier announcements, including the January 2026 CES debut of the all-electric Atlas and initial factory deployments from 2028 at the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant in Savannah, Georgia.
Kia's rollout will begin with straightforward manufacturing processes to integrate the robots into production lines, followed by expansion to other factories worldwide. A key Atlas feature is the ability to transfer skills learned by one unit across the fleet, boosting efficiency.
In parallel, Kia is advancing software-defined vehicles (SDVs), targeting completion of its first model around 2027 with Level 2 autonomous driving capabilities.