CES 2026: Hyundai’s Humanoid Robot “Atlas” Walks Like a Human, Set to Assist in Car Manufacturing

Las Vegas: CES 2026 witnessed a futuristic marvel as Hyundai, through its subsidiary Boston Dynamics, unveiled its humanoid robot Atlas, capable of walking, gesturing, and moving just like a human. The demonstration left the audience astonished as Atlas walked on stage, waved to the crowd, and even rotated its head with lifelike precision.

Human-Like Movements on Display
During the showcase at a Las Vegas hotel ballroom, Atlas, equipped with two arms and two legs, performed a series of movements that closely resembled human gestures. The robot walked across the stage, paused, waved at the audience, and displayed an owl-like neck rotation, creating a spectacular and realistic presentation.

Remote-Controlled but Soon Autonomous
Zachary Jackowski, GM at Boston Dynamics, clarified that while Atlas was remotely controlled by an engineer during the live demonstration, future versions of the robot are designed to walk autonomously. Hyundai has confirmed that a production version of Atlas, specifically designed to assist in assembling cars, is already in development. By 2028, it will be deployed at Hyundai’s electric vehicle manufacturing facility near Savannah, Georgia.

Partnership with Google DeepMind
In addition, Hyundai announced a collaboration with Google DeepMind. Under this partnership, DeepMind’s AI technology will enhance Boston Dynamics’ robots, making them more efficient and intelligent. Boston Dynamics is already renowned for its commercial robot Spot, a dog-like robot that has achieved global recognition.

Challenges of Public Demonstrations
Displaying humanoid robots in public is notoriously challenging for robotics companies. Minor errors or stumbles can attract significant attention. For instance, a humanoid robot in Russia fell on stage during a recent demonstration. Most startups prefer sharing videos of prototypes on social media to showcase their robots in perfect conditions while editing out glitches.

Atlas Stands Out
The latest Atlas version presented at CES 2026 features a unique design in striking blue, emphasizing its advanced engineering and readiness for industrial deployment. With its human-like capabilities, Atlas represents a major leap forward in robotics for industrial automation and will soon play a key role in Hyundai’s car assembly operations.