Azernews.Az

by Alimat Aliyeva

Hyundai Motor Group has reportedly established dedicated internal units to accelerate its “software-defined factory” (SDF) strategy and to secure advanced robotic components, as part of a broader push toward integrating humanoid robots into its manufacturing ecosystem, AzerNEWS reports, citing foreign media.

As part of this restructuring, the company has created a leadership role to oversee its SDF initiative and appointed Alpesh Patel, who currently serves as Innovation Director at the Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Center in Singapore. In parallel, Hyundai has also opened a new office focused on sourcing and procurement of robotic components, led by Soh Hyun-seong, a former head of strategic planning at Beijing Hyundai.

The initiative is closely linked to the development of Boston Dynamics’s Atlas humanoid robot program. The Atlas robots are expected to be deployed gradually in Hyundai’s production facilities, beginning with parts sequencing tasks before expanding into more complex assembly operations by around 2030.

Originally scheduled for broader industrial introduction in 2028, the Atlas deployment reflects Hyundai’s long-term ambition to transform traditional car manufacturing plants into highly automated, AI-driven environments where human workers and robots collaborate on the same production lines.

One notable aspect of this strategy is how it blends automotive manufacturing with cutting-edge robotics research. Unlike earlier factory automation, which relied mostly on fixed robotic arms, humanoid systems like Atlas are designed to move through existing factory layouts without requiring complete redesigns of production lines. This could significantly reduce the cost and time needed to modernize older plants.

If successful, Hyundai’s approach may become a model for the global automotive industry — especially as manufacturers face rising labor shortages, increasing demand for customization, and pressure to improve production flexibility through artificial intelligence and robotics.