Hyundai Motor’s labor force is mobilizing against a robotic future. The union, boasting 40,000 members, announced Friday it will resist all efforts to deploy physical AI robots like Atlas in factories absent thorough talks with workers.
Boston Dynamics’ Atlas, showcased at January’s CES 2026, has revolutionized perceptions with its lifelike mobility. Hyundai eyes it for cost savings in auto production, but the union sees existential peril for jobs. ‘No tolerance for unconsulted rollouts,’ they declared via their site.
Future plans alarm further: a US facility by 2028 producing 30,000 units yearly. Domestically, plants grapple with declining volumes funneled to Georgia’s expanding Metaplant America—aiming for 500,000 cars from 100,000 by decade’s end.
Union voices echo broader woes: ‘Foreign production surges endanger Korean employment as home sites falter.’ This resistance amid AI hype poses challenges for Hyundai’s global ambitions.
Contrasting the strife, Hyundai and Kia triumphed with seven UK What Car? Awards 2026 in key categories, plus American prizes. As humanoid tech advances, the union’s firm no signals a pivotal battle over manufacturing’s human element.