Hyundai Motor Group plans to appoint Milan Kovac, the former head of Tesla’s humanoid robot program, as an adviser to boost its robotics and AI capabilities. Kovac will also serve as an outside director of Hyundai’s U.S. subsidiary, Boston Dynamics.
Kovac led Tesla’s Optimus humanoid program from 2022 until his departure in June 2025. Hyundai said he will contribute to strategic discussions on long-term robotics commercialization, covering platforms such as Spot, Stretch, Orbit, and Atlas, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Last week at CES 2026, Hyundai unveiled the production version of its Atlas humanoid robot and aims to produce 30,000 units annually by 2028. The company sees humanoid robots as the largest segment of the physical AI market, which includes robotics, smart factories, and autonomous vehicles.
Hyundai has also appointed former Tesla and Nvidia engineer Park Min-woo to lead its advanced vehicle platform division and software-defined vehicle initiatives. Shares of Hyundai Motor have jumped over 34% since the Atlas reveal.
