Hyundai Motor is moving humanoid robots onto U.S. assembly lines as part of a cost-cutting strategy aimed at cushioning the impact of Trump-era tariffs on its American operations.
Robot Hyundai enters U.S. factories to counter tariffs
Humanoid robots are set to enter Hyundai Motor’s manufacturing plants in the United States. The South Korean automotive group plans to rely on robotics to reduce the cost burden created by tariffs imposed by President Trump and to offset their impact on operating margins.
The robot units, supplied by U.S. technology company Boston Dynamics, which is controlled by the South Korean group, will be equipped with artificial intelligence and deployed directly on Hyundai’s assembly lines. There is no fixed rollout schedule yet, but internal estimates point to as many as 30,000 robots eventually involved in vehicle production. Just a month ago, at the CES in Las Vegas, the company showcased the technological maturity it has reached in advanced robotics.
The move fits squarely into the automaker’s broader strategy to contain costs and ease pressure on profitability. In 2025, Hyundai Motor reported a 6% increase in sales, reaching $128 billion in revenue. Fellow South Korean brand Kia posted revenue of $114 billion, also up 6%.
Robot Hyundai to protect margins in the U.S. market
Despite record revenues, Hyundai’s net profit fell 22%, while Kia’s declined 23%. The drop in profitability was particularly pronounced in North America. In the United States, sales surpassed one million vehicles for the first time, but tariffs introduced in recent months have eroded the benefits of that growth, turning the group’s largest market into a source of pressure on results.
Strong production figures in the Czech Republic
In Europe, Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Czech, located in the Czech Republic, recently reached the milestone of five million vehicles produced. The third generation of the Tucson played a central role in output at the Nošovice plant, and the current version is expected to deliver even higher volumes, accounting for nearly half of the facility’s total production.
Thanks to its strategic location, vehicles built in the Czech Republic are exported to 90 countries. While most shipments are destined for European markets, cars from the plant are also delivered to the Middle East, Africa, Oceania, and Latin America.
Since 2020, the site has also expanded into electrified vehicles, producing more than 650,000 hybrid or electric models to date. Around 200,000 of these units are Kona Electric vehicles. Part of the plant has additionally been converted into a battery systems assembly center, operated under the management of Hyundai Mobis.
