Hyundai Moves to Take Full Ownership of Boston Dynamics

Hyundai Motor Group is moving to acquire SoftBank’s remaining 9.65% stake in Boston Dynamics, which would make the robotics company fully owned by Hyundai. SoftBank exercised a contractual put option, and Hyundai confirmed that its affiliated companies were pursuing the acquisition under their existing agreements.

Hyundai originally acquired an 80% controlling stake in Boston Dynamics in 2021, in a transaction that valued the robotics company at approximately $1.1 billion. Its ownership subsequently increased to about 90.35%, leaving SoftBank with the remaining minority stake. The latest transaction would give Hyundai complete ownership and greater control over Boston Dynamics’ long-term strategy.

The move comes as Boston Dynamics shifts its focus toward commercial robotics, particularly its humanoid Atlas platform. The company says Atlas is being prepared for industrial applications and that 2026 deployments are planned with Hyundai and Google DeepMind. Hyundai is also planning U.S. production of humanoid robots beginning in 2028.

Full ownership could allow Hyundai to integrate Boston Dynamics more closely with its automotive manufacturing operations. The automaker has already identified robotics as an important part of its future strategy, alongside autonomous driving and artificial intelligence. Hyundai’s recent plans include expanding robotics operations and using robots in its manufacturing ecosystem.

The bigger significance is that Hyundai is increasingly positioning itself as more than an automobile manufacturer. By combining vehicle manufacturing, AI, autonomous systems and advanced robotics, the company is attempting to build a broader technology ecosystem. If Atlas can become reliable and economically viable at scale, Boston Dynamics could become a major component of Hyundai’s strategy to automate industrial operations and develop the next generation of physical AI.