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[CES 2026] Hyundai Motor Group develops AI chips for robots
Carmaker expected to supply converged AI robotics solutions
for hospitals, airports
By Lee Min-hyung, The Korea Times - Hyundai Motor Group has
completed development of its long-awaited artificial intelligence (AI) chips
for robots, marking a critical step toward building a robust supply chain and
infrastructure in the era of physical AI, the company said Thursday (local time).
The global automaker and emerging robotics powerhouse has
teamed up with DEEPX for the joint development of the on-device AI chip for
three years. DEEPX is an advanced AI chipmaker and computing solutions
developer.
The group’s Robotics LAB showcased the milestone at CES
Foundry 2026, the tech fair’s first sub-program dedicated to discussions on AI,
quantum computing and other cutting-edge future technologies.
The on-device AI chips are also ready to be mass-produced,
helping the automaker to build a stable supply chain for its overall robotics
business.
Hyundai Motor Group highlighted physical AI — the
integration of hardware and artificial intelligence — as a key future revenue
area during CES 2026. The automaker introduced several advanced robots,
including Atlas and the multi-purpose self-driving Mobile Eccentric Droid, and
outlined its vision to leverage them for smarter, more efficient worksites.
“To realize the physical AI, Hyundai Motor Group is
developing AI solutions and relevant software under the vision of robotization
of space,” said Hyun Dong-jin, vice president and head of the group’s Robotics
LAB. “Our ultimate goal is to build a sustainable robot ecosystem, rather than
the robot development, in itself,” he said.
In an aging society, many countries are faced with social
challenges, such as a lack of human labor. This will gradually increase demand
for robots particularly at worksites, according to the automaker.
Hyundai Motor and Kia expect the latest on-device AI chip
to help build stronger, more stable physical AI infrastructure across their key
value chain, from auto production to logistics.
The chip operates in ultra-low power and helps robots
perform human-like tasks, such as real-time recognition and decision-making.
According to the company, the AI semiconductor is particularly useful in
circumstances where network connections are unstable, such as underground
parking lots or logistics centers.
As the chip does not utilize cloud servers for its
operation, it is highly responsive and is less exposed to potential hacking
threats.
The latest breakthrough will enable the group to expand its
revenue streams into airports, hospitals, and other worksites, where demand for
integrated AI robotics solutions is expected to grow significantly, the company
said.
