Humanoid Robots Enter Automotive Production at Hyundai and Xiaomi

Hyundai Motor’s 1.88‑metre Atlas robot, developed by Boston Dynamics, sparked a partial strike by the Ulsan plant union representing about 40,000 workers. The walk‑out halted production of roughly 5,000 vehicles and cost the company more than $134 million in sales. Workers are demanding fixed wages, a higher retirement age and safeguards against AI‑driven automation. Hyundai plans to install Atlas in its Georgia, USA factory by 2028.

Separately, Chinese tech firm Xiaomi has introduced humanoid robots, models SU7 and YU7, into its car‑manufacturing line. The machines now place self‑threading nuts with a 98 % success rate, up from 90.2 %, and are being tested on more complex tasks such as fitting interior panels. Xiaomi sees the pilots as a step toward broader deployment across its vehicle production facilities.