Boston Dynamics, the robotics affiliate of Hyundai Motor Group, released on the 7th (local time) a video demonstrating advanced moves by its Humanoid Robot Atlas. It is the first video released since Atlas appeared to the public at CES 2026, the world's largest IT and home appliance exhibition, last month.
According to Hyundai Motor Group on the 9th, in the 1-minute, 37-second video that Boston Dynamics posted on its YouTube channel, Atlas performed consecutive somersaults, including a cartwheel and a back tuck. Like an artistic gymnast, it planted both arms on the floor, and it also successfully stuck the landing, the finishing move after the somersault, with stability. This is the first time a video has shown a cartwheel and a back tuck performed in succession.
Atlas also showed itself running on an icy road. Because it was ice, its feet slipped, but Hyundai Motor Group said it quickly moved forward while maintaining full-body balance through advanced decision-making and control logic. A Hyundai Motor Group official said, "Rather than the difficult moves themselves, the continuous whole-body control capability—spanning from takeoff to aerial posture control, absorbing landing impact, and posture recovery—has entered a stabilization phase."
The ability to control the whole body was made possible by large-scale repetitive training. Boston Dynamics combined its accumulated Reinforcement Learning-based control methods with whole-body control algorithms to enable Atlas to secure full-body maneuvering capabilities that allow continuous execution and repeated verification. A Boston Dynamics representative said, "We conducted final tests to push the limits of whole-body control and mobility," adding, "Performance testing of the research version will be wrapped up soon."
Going forward, Boston Dynamics plans to train Atlas in manufacturing environments for deployment at Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA).
Hyundai Motor Group plans to first apply Atlas starting in 2028 to processes at HMGMA where safety and quality benefits are clearly verified, such as sequencing work for parts sorting. Beginning in 2030, it intends to expand the scope of work to include parts assembly.