Kia America Inc. will deploy Hyundai Motor Group-backed Boston Dynamics‘ Atlas humanoid robot at its manufacturing facility in Georgia.

Kia To Deploy Atlas In 2029

The South Korean automaker would begin deployment of the Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) Optimus rival at its Georgia plant in 2029, according to a report by South Korean media outlet Chosun Daily on Thursday.

Kia aims to deploy the robot at its other factories across the globe and will target simple manufacturing processes initially, the report said.

The automaker will also develop software-defined vehicles (SDVs), targeting its first SDV to finish development sometime around 2027. The vehicle is also touted to feature Level 2 autonomous capabilities.

Atlas Robots At Hyundai Plant

Hyundai, which is a majority stakeholder in Kia, will deploy the robot at its Georgia plant in 2028, where initially, the robot would aid in performing tasks like part sequencing. Hyundai aims to scale up Atlas’ capabilities by 2030 and has shared that the robot’s tasks will comprise component assembly, lifting heavy loads, and other complex operations.

Atlas possesses enhanced capabilities. It can lift objects weighing up to 50 kg (110 lbs) without any issues and can function in temperature ranges from -20° to 40° C (-4° to 104° F). Additionally, a task learned by a single Atlas unit can also be applied to the entire fleet.

Robots In Manufacturing

The news comes as companies are seeing applications of robotics at their manufacturing facilities. Recently. Toyota Motor Corp. (NYSE:TM) deployed 7 humanoid robots at its facility in Woodstock, Ontario, in Canada. Xiaomi Corp. (OTC:XIACF)(OTC:XIACY) also deployed robots at its EV manufacturing plant, promising 3 hours of operating time.

Tesla’s Optimus Robot

Meanwhile, Tesla’s Optimus robot has generated considerable buzz as CEO Elon Musk claimed that the third-generation version of the Humanoid robot will be the most advanced robot ever. Musk also said that the robot would begin production in the summer of 2026 and reach volume production next year.

Musk has been bullish towards the technology, with his robotics pivot further cemented by Tesla sunsetting the production of the premium Model S and Model X vehicles, instead using the Fremont, California, facility to focus on Optimus' production, targeting 1 million units per year for the robot.

Elsewhere, Nvidia Corp.-backed (NASDAQ:NVDA) Figure AI debuted its Figure 3.0 robot at a White House event as the robot appeared alongside First Lady Melania Trump, who outlined her vision of having robots teach children in classrooms in school.

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