"Hyundai Motor's robotics technology is ahead of Tesla and will be a strong alternative for physical AI investment" – KB Securities

Analysts say Hyundai Motor Group could reshape the competitive landscape of the global autonomous driving and robotics industry, which has so far been led by Tesla. Atlas’s ability to respond to situations is now close to a level where it can be deployed directly to real industrial sites without additional training, leading to the view that Hyundai Motor Group is undervalued compared with Tesla.
On the 11th, KB Securities stated, "Hyundai Motor’s robotics vision is clear, yet its market capitalization is only one-twentieth that of Tesla," adding that the company is "a strong alternative for investment in physical artificial intelligence (physical AI)."
According to Hyundai Motor Group, Boston Dynamics (BD), its robotics subsidiary, uploaded a video on the 7th (local time) showing Atlas doing cartwheels and backflips, flipping through the air in continuous motion. In the one-minute-and-37-second clip, Atlas plants its hands on the floor like a gymnast and executes a cartwheel followed by a backflip in a seamless sequence. It also lands the final somersault cleanly and stably, without wobbling. Atlas had previously demonstrated cartwheels and backflips separately, but this is the first time both moves have been shown in a continuous routine.
Kang Sung-jin, an analyst at KB Securities, explained, "This video goes beyond a simple technology demo. It tests whether Atlas can apply the intelligence it learned in simulation to the real world without additional fine-tuning." He pointed out, "It is also meaningful in that it evaluates ‘full-body control and locomotion capabilities’ that far exceed those of an average human, and tests its ability to respond in extreme situations."
KB Securities assessed that the video confirms Atlas is taking the lead as a commercially viable general-purpose humanoid. Kang noted, "After completing its training in a digital twin (virtual factory), Atlas has reached a level where it can be deployed directly to real industrial sites without separate additional learning." He added, "It is equipped with the ability to handle unexpected situations on its own, such as imperfect landings after a jump."
He continued, "Once such a general-purpose humanoid is fully realized, Hyundai Motor will be able to accelerate innovation in automobile production," adding, "This naturally ties in with the autonomous driving foundry strategy presented at the 2024 Investor Day."
KB Securities therefore concluded that Hyundai Motor currently leads Tesla in the robotics domain. It analyzed that the company is at the forefront of robotics in terms of mechanical completeness, simulation and training capabilities, commercialization strategy, and mass-production strategy.
Kang said, "Going forward, BD is expected to secure robot AI through collaboration with Google, establish a mass-production system for Atlas, and begin actively acquiring external customers from 2027." He added, "Hyundai Motor is the most promising alternative that can share the future value of autonomous driving and robotics, which Tesla has so far monopolized."
eastcold@fnnews.com Reporter Kim Dong-chan Reporter