Hyundai Motor Group is set to acquire the remaining 9.65% stake in Boston Dynamics from SoftBank for $325 million, gaining 100% ownership of the robotics pioneer. The deal, expected to be approved by Hyundai's board on June 22, ends Boston Dynamics' decade-long ownership shuffle among tech giants and pivots it fully into industrial deployment.
$325M Buyout Ends SoftBank's Robotics Bet
Boston Dynamics' ownership history: acquired by Google in 2013, sold to SoftBank in 2017, and 80% purchased by Hyundai for about $880 million in 2021 (valuation ~$1.1B), with SoftBank retaining a put option. The current transaction exercises that option. Hyundai will now integrate Boston Dynamics' locomotion technology into its smart manufacturing roadmap.
Atlas Humanoid Robot Enters Hyundai Factory by 2028
Under full control, Hyundai outlined ambitious deployment plans. The electric Atlas, unveiled at CES 2026, will enter Hyundai's EV plant (Metaplant) in Savannah, Georgia, in 2028, initially handling parts sorting and expanding to heavier tasks by 2030. Boston Dynamics CEO Robert Playter demands Atlas learn new factory tasks within 1-2 days and achieve 99.9% reliability. Hyundai Mobis is already manufacturing actuators for Atlas.
SoftBank Shifts to AI Infrastructure with Roze AI
SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son's exit reflects a strategic pivot. After investing $41 billion in OpenAI, SoftBank is preparing to launch Roze AI, a venture combining AI and robotics to build physical infrastructure like datacenters, targeting a $100 billion valuation. For SoftBank, capital-heavy hardware with slow returns no longer fits; AI compute and infrastructure are the next decade's battleground.
Humanoid Robot Race Heats Up
Competitors: Tesla focuses on Optimus, Figure AI tests at BMW, and China's Unitree competes on cost. Boston Dynamics' edge: Hyundai as a captive customer for real-world testing, removing early sales pressure. If Atlas proves commercial viability by 2028, it could mark a milestone for the entire humanoid robotics industry.