Kia CEO plans Atlas humanoid robot deployment at Georgia plant by 2029

Kia's chief executive said the company plans to deploy Boston Dynamics' Atlas humanoid robot at its Georgia manufacturing plant in 2029, following an initial launch at parent company Hyundai Motor Group's U.S. facility the year before, the Korea Times reported.

The rollout would mark a significant step in Hyundai Motor Group's push to automate its North American manufacturing operations — a development closely watched by the Korean-American business community, which has long-standing ties to both Kia and Hyundai's U.S. production footprint.

Kia CEO Song Ho-sung outlined a phased deployment strategy in remarks reported by the Korea Times, with Atlas robots initially assigned to physically demanding manufacturing processes on the factory floor. The Georgia facility rollout is set to follow a 2028 introduction of the same robot at Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America, giving the parent company time to build performance data before Kia's operations come online.

The Georgia deployment will not happen all at once. According to the Korea Times, Kia plans a gradual expansion over one to two years, during which engineers will collect operational data and verify Atlas's capabilities in core manufacturing processes before committing to wider use.

Kia's factory robotics program extends well beyond Atlas. Boston Dynamics' four-legged robot Spot is already in service at the automaker's manufacturing sites, handling product scanning, security, and patrol duties, the Korea Times reported. The logistics robot Stretch is also being integrated into purpose-built vehicles as part of the company's automated material-handling push.

The measured timeline reflects a calculated effort to limit risk. By piloting Atlas first at U.S. facilities — which the Korea Times noted share similar production layouts with Kia's overseas plants — the company aims to prove the robot's performance before extending deployment internationally. Korea Investment & Securities was cited in the Korea Times coverage as a source tracking Kia's automation roadmap.

Whether Atlas can withstand the demands of live automotive assembly remains unproven, but Kia's methodical timeline suggests the automaker is treating humanoid robotics not as a distant experiment but as a near-term priority on the factory floor.