- Published 2026.11.09 11:50
Supply chain built around Hyundai Mobis, Samsung SDI and other key parts makers
Plans 30,000-unit plant and deployment at Hyundai and Kia sites
Boston Dynamics is shifting to mass production of its Atlas humanoid robot, cutting assembly time per unit from a full day to under an hour. With a supply chain centered on Hyundai Motor Group and Korean parts makers now in place and pilot programs underway at US plants, commercialization is imminent.
According to German media outlet Ad-hoc News on Nov. 9, Boston Dynamics plans to reduce Atlas assembly time to one hour by next year and, in the longer term, build a process that can produce a robot in just a few minutes. To that end, the company is producing mechanical parts through in-house precision machining and feeding finished components into assembly and repair on the same day or the next. It is also integrating robot arms into the assembly process to maximize manufacturing efficiency.
The hardware has been redesigned for mass production. Boston Dynamics replaced the previous three-fingered hand, which was unsuitable for large-scale output of around 100,000 units, with a new four-fingered robot hand. The new hand has 13 degrees of freedom and tactile sensors, allowing it to precisely gauge the shape and weight of objects.
Korean companies lead the parts supply chain. Hyundai Mobis produces all 31 electric joint actuators, which account for about 70% of the hardware parts cost of Atlas. Prototype production has begun at its research center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, with series deliveries to be completed by 2028. Boston Dynamics has reportedly asked suppliers to prepare production tooling for 10,000 units.
Samsung SDI is responsible for the energy system. Each Atlas is equipped with 70 of Samsung SDI's 2170 cylindrical batteries (21 mm in diameter, 70 mm in height). The total capacity is 1.3 kilowatt-hours, about 1.6% of the Hyundai Ioniq 5's 84 kWh battery, and can power the robot for two to four hours of typical factory work. The battery can be charged in 90 minutes and autonomously swapped in under three minutes. Samsung SDI will supply virtually all of the initial volume, with LG Energy Solution selected as a secondary supplier.
Training for real industrial deployment is also underway. Boston Dynamics recently opened an application center inside Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America in Savannah, Georgia. There, Atlas is learning tasks such as logistics movement, parts sequencing and assembly through simulation-based artificial intelligence. The company plans to expand the center into a building 10 times larger next year to accelerate validation.
Under CEO Rohit Prasad, Boston Dynamics is focused on proving measurable performance data rather than technology demonstrations. In the long term, the company aims to deploy 25,000 Atlas robots across Hyundai and Kia plants worldwide and is pursuing construction of a new US factory capable of producing 30,000 robots a year. Jack Jackowski, chief product and technology officer at Boston Dynamics, said the company is preparing for large-scale commercialization with priorities on optimizing supply chain, production, testing and launch.
※ This article is an AI translation of the Korean original published by Korea Credit News; it was checked by automated quality guards and published by the English edition desk.
