Hyundai Motor announced on Thursday that it will purchase SoftBank Group's remaining stake in Boston Dynamics, moving to 100% ownership of the robotics company. SoftBank exercised a contractual put option, and Hyundai and its affiliates said they are reviewing the related rights and obligations tied to that exercise.
The acquisition is the next step in Hyundai's multi-year push to build out its robotics business after winning a controlling stake in Boston Dynamics in 2021. Hyundai framed the move as central to its effort to commercialize humanoid robots and strengthen its artificial intelligence capabilities by integrating Boston Dynamics' robotics expertise with Hyundai's manufacturing scale, mobility technologies and global production network.
Hyundai did not disclose the financial terms of the deal. A recent report by South Korea's Maeil Business Newspaper indicated the remaining SoftBank stake was 9.65% and suggested a valuation of roughly $325 million, but Hyundai itself provided no confirmation of that figure.
At the core of Hyundai's plan is Atlas, the next-generation humanoid robot developed by Boston Dynamics. Hyundai unveiled a production-ready version of Atlas earlier this year and has publicly mapped out a deployment timeline: the company intends to begin operating Atlas units at its electric vehicle manufacturing plant in Georgia starting in 2028.
Hyundai set an ambitious production target, aiming for annual capacity of up to 30,000 humanoid robots. The company expects the machines to take on tasks initially concentrated in logistics and welding operations, then move into more advanced manufacturing roles such as component assembly by 2030. Hyundai said full ownership of Boston Dynamics will accelerate the development and commercialization of what it calls Physical AI by combining robotic hardware with the automaker's production and mobility know-how.
The market took note: Hyundai Motor shares fell 3.6% in Seoul trading, though the drop was smaller than the broader KOSPI decline of 5.8% amid a wider selloff in technology stocks. SoftBank's shares were largely unchanged, edging down 0.1%, compared with a 2.3% retreat in Japan's Nikkei 225.
Hyundai has increasingly treated robotics as a core element of its long-term growth strategy alongside electric vehicles, autonomous driving and software-defined mobility, seeking to integrate AI-powered automation into factory operations and commercial applications.
Key points
- Hyundai will acquire SoftBank's remaining stake in Boston Dynamics after SoftBank exercised a put option; financial terms were not disclosed.
- Hyundai plans to commercialize the Atlas humanoid robot, aiming to deploy units at its Georgia EV plant from 2028 and target annual production capacity of up to 30,000 robots by 2030.
- The transaction advances Hyundai's Physical AI strategy by combining Boston Dynamics' robotics expertise with Hyundai's manufacturing capabilities, mobility technology and global production network; sectors impacted include automotive, robotics and manufacturing.
Risks and uncertainties
- Hyundai and its affiliates are reviewing the rights and obligations stemming from SoftBank's exercised put option; the outcome of that review was not disclosed and could affect transaction completion and terms - this directly impacts corporate legal and financial sectors.
- Financial terms for the remaining stake were not released; the lack of disclosure creates uncertainty around the deal's cost and potential balance sheet impact for Hyundai - affecting investor sentiment in equity markets.
- Hyundai's timeline for large-scale production and deployment (initial deployment in 2028 and broader manufacturing tasks by 2030) presents execution risk in manufacturing and robotics commercialization.