Hyundai Motor Group

Genesis Motor North America operates with a "startup mindset" despite being backed by the multibillion-dollar Hyundai Motor Group. The brand's executives noted that combining the agility of a young company with the resources of an auto giant has facilitated rapid growth and success. This combination of operational freedom and corporate backing helps Genesis expand its portfolio to include sedans, SUVs, and EVs.

Genesis is relocating production of its top-selling US model, the GV70 SUV, from Alabama back to Ulsan, South Korea. This temporary move will consolidate vehicle production in Korea to make room for Hyundai's expansion, which was driven by the parent company’s rapid growth and record sales in the United States.

South Korean labour unions are demanding higher bonuses following Samsung Electronics' decision to award some employees over US$400,000. Assembly-line workers at Hyundai Motor staged a three-day partial strike seeking up to 30% of consolidated profit for bonuses, while unions at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and LG Uplus want payouts equivalent to at least 30% of operating profit.

Hyundai Motor is reportedly in a deal with SoftBank to acquire a stake in Boston Dynamics. The article suggests the transaction could either represent a bargain for Hyundai or indicate SoftBank's financial pressure.

U.S. auto sales in Q2 showed mixed results with General Motors reporting a 4% decline while Stellantis, Toyota, and Hyundai saw growth. House Speaker Mike Johnson and Republicans urged President Donald Trump to let a Jones Act waiver expire, arguing it harms U.S. shipping and national security. LSU New Orleans held a ceremony to mark its return to the LSU System after 15 years under the University of Louisiana System.

Hyundai Motor Group, a FIFA commercial partner, is promoting its robotics division through World Cup-related exhibits and deployments, including robot dogs and the Atlas humanoid robot. The company acquired Boston Dynamics in 2020 and plans to expand robot use in factories and U.S. operations by 2028, though labor unions in South Korea have opposed automation plans, authorizing strikes over fears of job displacement.

Hyundai workers in South Korea are voting to strike due to concerns that robots may replace them. The union at the country’s largest carmaker demands greater influence over the introduction of AI and automation.

Hyundai Motor Group plans to deploy over 25,000 Boston Dynamics Atlas robots in U.S. manufacturing facilities starting in 2028, with Kia's Georgia plant following in 2029. The robots, designed to perform physically demanding tasks and adapt to dynamic factory conditions, aim to address labor shortages and enhance production flexibility.

Boston Dynamics' Spot robot now reads analog thermometers and pressure gauges using Google DeepMind's Gemini Robotics-ER 1.6 AI model. This advancement enables complex visual inspections in industrial settings through enhanced 'embodied reasoning' capabilities.