(News Focus) Hyundai Motor steps up physical AI push amid Chinese competition, stock slump

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UIWANG, South Korea, Oct. 18 (Yonhap) -- Seeking to remain competitive against fast-growing Chinese automakers and find new sources of growth amid a sharp retreat in its share price, Hyundai Motor Group is stepping up its push into robotics and physical artificial intelligence (AI).

The move comes as the world's third-largest automotive group faces growing pressure to improve profitability in its conventional carmaking business amid intensifying competition in the global electric vehicle (EV) market, particularly from lower-priced Chinese models.

Investors are also questioning when the group's heavy investments in robotics will start to pay off.

Industrial robotic arms automatically attach door trim to a vehicle at Hyundai Motor Group's Uiwang Research and Development Center in Uiwang, south of Seoul, on Oct. 14, 2026. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

Hyundai Motor Co.'s shares more than doubled after its U.S. subsidiary Boston Dynamics unveiled its Atlas humanoid robot at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January, reaching a record closing high of 755,000 won (US$565.2) in June.

But the stock has since fallen sharply to near pre-CES levels, closing at 312,000 won Friday, as enthusiasm over robotics has faded amid weak earnings and growing concerns about how soon the technology can turn profitable.

Speculation about a delayed initial public offering of Boston Dynamics has added to the uncertainty. The U.S. robotics company reportedly incurred cumulative losses of around 1.7 trillion won over the past five years.

The sharp drop in stock price shows the challenge facing Hyundai: turning excitement over its robotics business into actual profits while keeping its core automotive operations competitive.

"Shares of Hyundai Motor have fallen sharply amid weakness in its core automotive business," Lee Sang-soo, an analyst at iM Securities, said. "Growing concerns over potential delays in Boston Dynamics' business plans have also fueled calls for lower valuation multiples."

Against this backdrop, Hyundai is developing AI-powered factory systems, logistics robots and automated vehicle inspection technologies to boost productivity and reduce manufacturing costs at its Uiwang Research and Development Center, south of Seoul.

A researcher demonstrates digital twin technology during a media event at Hyundai Motor Group's Uiwang Research and Development Center in Uiwang, south of Seoul, on Oct. 14, 2026. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

The group's E-Forest Center is leading efforts to integrate AI, robotics and other smart manufacturing technologies into its factories, making production lines more flexible and efficient.

The company is working with U.S. chip giant Nvidia Corp. on Polaris, an AI-powered manufacturing platform that helps factory workers access information, analyze production data and handle daily tasks more efficiently.

It is also developing AI-based inspection systems that can automatically spot defects on vehicle exteriors, reducing reliance on outside suppliers and cutting costs. The technology is set to be introduced at Kia's EVO WEST plant in Hwaseong, southwest of Seoul.

Another project focuses on using computer simulations to automatically generate movement paths for industrial robots, reducing the need for manual programming. Development is expected to be completed by June 2027.

These efforts are part of a longer-term road map to build factories where AI and robots can handle increasingly complex tasks with less human intervention.

Choi Young-tae, head of Hyundai Motor Group's E-Forest Center, speaks during a media event at the group's Uiwang Research and Development Center in Uiwang, south of Seoul, on Oct. 14, 2026. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

The group aims to develop more advanced autonomous manufacturing systems at its Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Center Singapore (HMGICS) by 2030 before introducing humanoid robots and more extensive automation at future factories from 2032.

The strategy underscores how Hyundai hopes to use physical AI not only to create new businesses but also to make its existing car factories more efficient and competitive.

"Our goal is to create a manufacturing environment where people can focus on safer, higher-value tasks, while data and AI help make factory operations more flexible and sustainable," said Choi Young-tae, head of Hyundai Motor Group's E-Forest Center, during a media event Friday.

ejkim@yna.co.kr (END)

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(News Focus) Hyundai Motor steps up physical AI push amid Chinese competition, stock slump

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韩国义王，10 月 18 日（韩联社）——为了在股价大幅下跌的情况下，保持与快速增长的中国汽车制造商的竞争力并寻找新的增长点，现代汽车集团正在加大力度进军机器人和物理人工智能（AI）领域。

此举正值全球第三大汽车集团面临越来越大的压力，需要提高其传统汽车制造业务的盈利能力之际，因为全球电动汽车 (EV) 市场的竞争日益激烈，尤其是来自价格更低的中国车型的竞争。

投资者也在质疑该集团在机器人领域的巨额投资何时才能开始获得回报。

2026年10月14日，在首尔以南义王市的现代汽车集团义王研发中心，工业机械臂正在自动将车门饰条安装到车辆上。（图片非卖品）（韩联社）

现代汽车公司旗下的美国子公司波士顿动力公司在1月份的消费电子展（CES）上发布了Atlas人形机器人后，现代汽车公司的股价翻了一番多，并在6月份创下了755,000韩元（565.2美元）的收盘历史新高。

但此后该股股价大幅下跌至接近 CES 展前的水平，周五收于 312,000 韩元，原因是盈利疲软，人们对机器人技术的热情消退，并且越来越担心该技术何时才能实现盈利。

关于波士顿动力公司首次公开募股（IPO）推迟的猜测加剧了市场的不确定性。据报道，这家美国机器人公司在过去五年中累计亏损约1.7万亿韩元。

股价暴跌表明了现代汽车面临的挑战：如何在保持核心汽车业务竞争力的同时，将人们对机器人业务的热情转化为实际利润。

iM证券分析师李相洙表示：“由于核心汽车业务疲软，现代汽车股价大幅下跌。此外，市场对波士顿动力公司业务计划可能延迟的担忧日益加剧，也促使人们呼吁降低其估值倍数。”

在此背景下，现代汽车正在其位于首尔以南的义王研发中心开发人工智能驱动的工厂系统、物流机器人和自动车辆检测技术，以提高生产效率并降低制造成本。

2026年10月14日，在首尔以南义王市的现代汽车集团义王研发中心，一名研究人员在媒体活动上演示了数字孪生技术。（图片非卖品）（韩联社）

该集团的 E-Forest 中心正引领着将人工智能、机器人和其他智能制造技术整合到其工厂中的工作，使生产线更加灵活高效。

该公司正与美国芯片巨头英伟达公司合作开发 Polaris，这是一个人工智能驱动的制造平台，可帮助工厂工人获取信息、分析生产数据并更高效地处理日常任务。

该公司还在开发基于人工智能的检测系统，该系统能够自动识别车辆外部缺陷，从而减少对外部供应商的依赖并降低成本。这项技术计划在起亚位于首尔西南华城的EVO WEST工厂投入使用。

另一个项目侧重于利用计算机模拟自动生成工业机器人的运动路径，从而减少人工编程的需求。该项目预计将于2027年6月完成开发。

这些努力是构建工厂的长期路线图的一部分，在工厂中，人工智能和机器人可以处理日益复杂的任务，减少人为干预。

2026年10月14日，现代汽车集团E-Forest中心负责人崔永泰在位于首尔以南义王市的集团义王研发中心举行的媒体活动上发表讲话。（图片非卖品）（韩联社）

该集团的目标是在2030年前在其新加坡现代汽车集团创新中心（HMGICS）开发更先进的自主制造系统，然后从2032年开始在未来的工厂中引入人形机器人和更广泛的自动化。

该战略凸显了现代汽车希望如何利用物理人工智能，不仅创造新的业务，而且提高现有汽车工厂的效率和竞争力。

现代汽车集团E-Forest中心负责人崔永泰在周五的媒体活动上表示：“我们的目标是创造一个制造环境，让人们能够专注于更安全、更有价值的任务，同时利用数据和人工智能使工厂运营更加灵活和可持续。”

ejkim@yna.co.kr (完)

（第二条）现代汽车计划扩大全球产能，到2030年推出超过100款车型

（头条）消息人士称，现代汽车集团将收购波士顿动力公司剩余股份。

现代汽车将在东南亚投资42万亿韩元，用于发展移动出行和物理人工智能。

（韩联社特稿）探访现代汽车南阳研发中心：构建未来出行方式

（新闻焦点）面对中国竞争对手和股价暴跌，现代汽车加大对物理人工智能的投入