Hyundai brings in ex-Tesla VP to level up its robotics game
Hyundai Motor Group just hired Milan Kovac, who led Tesla's Optimus robot and Autopilot projects, as an adviser for their robotics division.
He's also set to join Boston Dynamics as an outside director soon.
Why does this matter?
Kovac will help fast-track the launch of robots like Spot, Stretch, and Atlas, while shaping Hyundai's AI strategies in manufacturing and logistics.
Since showing off Atlas at CES, Hyundai shares have soared 34%—way ahead of the market.
The company sees Kovac as key to pushing their robotics ambitions further.
Who is Milan Kovac?
Born in Belgium with an electrical engineering background, Kovac started out at Sony before joining Tesla (date not specified in the source).
He rose quickly—leading Autopilot development with custom chips and vision-based tech, then heading the Optimus robot team.
In 2022 he became the lead of Tesla's Optimus humanoid program and director of Optimus and Autopilot Engineering.
He announced plans to leave Tesla in June 2025.