At Hyundai’s new high-tech factory in Georgia, robots handle most welding, inspections, and heavy tasks, while humans focus on quality control and detailed assembly work, according to a Wall Street Journal article, America’s Newest Auto Plant Is Full of Robots. It Still Needs the Human Touch. With a 2-to-1 human-to-robot ratio, the plant is far more automated than typical US factories. Hyundai says robots are meant to support, not replace, people, though some workers worry about long-term job security. Experts agree that full automation is still decades away, as many complex tasks still require human skills. The WSJ writes:
A complete robot takeover is decades away, said Jorgen Pedersen, CEO of the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Institute, a government-funded nonprofit meant to strengthen U.S. manufacturing. Robots still struggle to handle fabric and other limp materials, he said, and performing the most complex jobs will take technological breakthroughs that aren’t yet on the radar.
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