Hyundai Motor Group Aims to Acquire 100% Stake in Boston Dynamics…Robotics Business Officially Launches

*This content was translated by AI.

Hyundai Motor Group will acquire all remaining shares of Boston Dynamics, a U.S.-based robotics specialist company held by SoftBank. Hyundai Motor Group announced on the 16th that it recently exercised its put option (right to request sale of common stock) for the 9.65% stake in Boston Dynamics that it had been holding under an agreement signed with SoftBank in 2020.

In response, each shareholder company within Hyundai Motor Group has begun reviewing concrete plans for share acquisition through internal procedures following the obligation to acquire shares. Currently, the shareholding structure of Boston Dynamics consists of: Chairman Chung Eui-sun (Hyundai Motor Group) at 22.6%, Hyundai Motor at 28%, Kia at 17.2%, Hyundai Mobis at 11.3%, and Hyundai Glovis at 11.25%. Once the acquisition of the remaining shares is completed, Hyundai Motor Group will secure a 100% stake in Boston Dynamics, making it a fully owned subsidiary.

As part of its long-term robotics strategy, Hyundai Motor Group has been considering expanding investment and cooperation with Boston Dynamics. With this move to make Boston Dynamics a wholly-owned subsidiary, the group expects to significantly improve the speed of future key decision-making and execution capabilities in robotics-related businesses. The group plans to strengthen competitiveness in the robotics business and create synergies based on physical AI centered on safety and quality. The three major goals for the robotics business are: realizing manufacturing innovation, building a global robot ecosystem, and expanding a future industrial ecosystem combining robotics, AI, and energy.

Coinciding with the formal acquisition of shares, Boston Dynamics' unparalleled humanoid robot technology is also undergoing continuous validation. Boston Dynamics' humanoid robot "Atlas" demonstrated a performance at the halftime of the Round of 16 match between Brazil and Norway in the "FIFA World Cup 2026" held at New York-New Jersey Stadium in the U.S. on the 5th (local time), handing over the game ball to the referee. Earlier, in May, it proved its body control capabilities by lifting a small refrigerator weighing 23 kg and moving it stably onto a table.

Hyundai Motor Group has also established a schedule for deploying Atlas in actual field operations. Atlas will be deployed at Hyundai Motor Group MetaPlant America (HMGMA) in Georgia, USA, to conduct real-world verification by production process unit. Specifically, starting from 2028, Atlas will be assigned to sorting tasks for parts classification to secure on-site reliability, and from 2030 onward, its work scope will be gradually expanded to include high-difficulty parts assembly processes.

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*This content was translated by AI.