Hyundai Motor is pursuing full ownership of Boston Dynamics, seeking to buy out SoftBank and other minority shareholders in the robotics company. The move would consolidate Hyundai’s control over one of the world’s most advanced robotics platforms.
Hyundai acquired a controlling stake in Boston Dynamics from SoftBank in 2020 for $880M, valuing the company at $1.1B. Since then, Boston Dynamics has expanded from academic research projects into commercial products, including the Spot quadruped for industrial inspection and Stretch for warehouse logistics. The company also continues development of the Atlas humanoid robot.
Full ownership would allow Hyundai to integrate Boston Dynamics more closely into its broader robotics and automation strategy. The automaker has been investing heavily in robotics, autonomous driving, and advanced manufacturing technology as it positions itself beyond traditional vehicle manufacturing.
Terms of the buyout have not been disclosed. SoftBank acquired Boston Dynamics from Alphabet’s Google in 2017 after the search giant decided the robots were too far from commercialization.
