Fear of humanoid robots drives Hyundai workers to strike at auto plant

Thousands of unionized Hyundai auto workers have begun striking after negotiations broke down over plans to deploy humanoid robots at the company's Ulsan plant in South Korea. The partial strike, which includes early shift ends and planned four-hour stoppages, marks what is believed to be the first factory shutdown in the automotive industry directly related to humanoid robotics. The dispute stems from Hyundai's unveiling of the Atlas humanoid robot, a six-foot-tall, 100-pound-lifting machine made by Boston Dynamics, which Hyundai is acquiring as a wholly owned subsidiary.