Hyundai Deploys Humanoid Robots for Precision Welding

Hyundai introduced German-made humanoid robots for precision welding at its shipyard in June 2025, per Sustainability Times, enhancing efficiency in South Korea’s $50 billion shipbuilding industry. The move offers lessons for India’s manufacturing sector, reliant on 80% imported automation tech.

Hyundai’s robots, developed by Boston Dynamics, perform welding tasks with 95% accuracy, reducing labor costs by 20% and errors by 15%. South Korea’s 500,000-tonne shipbuilding capacity benefits, with 10,000 ships produced annually. India’s $10 billion shipbuilding sector, with 1,000 ships, lags due to 70% manual processes. The 2025 Budget’s $1 billion for automation supports MSMEs, but 80% import reliance raises costs by 15%.

Gujarat’s Alang shipyard, recycling 50% of global ships, could adopt similar robots, saving $100 million annually. Challenges include $50 million in training for 5,000 workers and 10% environmental risks from battery waste. Germany’s 50% automated shipyards achieve 25% efficiency gains, offering a model. Posts on X highlight Hyundai’s innovation, with some noting job displacement concerns.

India’s PLI scheme for electronics, with $24,000 crore, supports automation, but 60% of MSMEs lack access. The Green India Mission, offsetting 2.5 billion tonnes of CO2, aligns with low-carbon automation. Scaling requires $200 million in R&D and 10,000 workers by 2030, per Invest India.

Conclusion

Hyundai’s humanoid robots boost shipbuilding efficiency, offering India a model for automation. Overcoming import reliance and training gaps is critical for adoption.

Source: Sustainability Times,