Hyundai Motor Group will acquire SoftBank Group's remaining roughly 10% stake in Boston Dynamics for about $325 million, taking the Massachusetts robotics maker fully in-house as it accelerates deployment of the Atlas humanoid across Hyundai's automotive plants. The Korean carmaker confirmed the transaction on July 16, 2026 after SoftBank exercised a put option baked into the parties' 2021 acquisition agreement.
SoftBank exercises its put, Hyundai completes a five-year buyout
When Hyundai bought its initial 80% controlling stake from SoftBank in 2021, the deal came with a put option that let the Japanese investor force a sale of the remaining shares if Boston Dynamics stayed private through 2026. SoftBank triggered that right in July, and the follow-on transaction values Boston Dynamics at roughly $3.3 billion — consistent with the 2021 valuation. Hyundai said its shareholders are "pursuing the acquisition of SoftBank's entire stake pursuant to the parties' existing agreements."
The move mirrors SoftBank's shift toward European and Swiss AI-robotics targets as it recycles capital into a new generation of embodied-AI bets, while Hyundai doubles down on the Boston Dynamics platform it now controls outright.
Atlas is coming to a Hyundai factory in 2028
Hyundai's roadmap for Boston Dynamics has become more explicit. The Group said it now plans to deploy Atlas at Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) in Georgia beginning in 2028, initially for parts-sequencing operations that arrange components in the order the assembly line needs them. Subject to further validation, Atlas is expected to expand into full component assembly by 2030.
Building an end-to-end AI robotics value chain
Hyundai says the deal will let it fuse Boston Dynamics' expertise in Atlas, Spot, Stretch and the Orbit fleet manager with the Group's manufacturing muscle, mobility platforms and global supplier network — what it calls an "End-to-End AI Robotics Value Chain." Recent Atlas demonstrations, including delivering the ceremonial match ball at a FIFA World Cup 2026 fixture and moving a 23-kilogram compact refrigerator, are being cited internally as proof the platform is ready for industrial trials.
The buyout arrives alongside a wave of Hyundai robotics moves. The company has been publicly increasing spend on humanoid work, and the transaction lands as competitors including Humanoid, Figure and Agility Robotics race to lock in Fortune 500 pilot customers. Boston Dynamics chief executive Rob Playter is expected to remain in his role as the company operates as a wholly-owned Hyundai subsidiary.
Reporting based on coverage from Hyundai Motor Group Newsroom, Bloomberg and Quartz.