Hyundai has bought robot maker Boston Dynamics from SoftBank in a $1.1 billion deal

Hyundai has agreed to buy an 80% stake in robot maker Boston Dynamics from SoftBank, the South Korean automaker said Friday. The deal values the robot firm at $1.1 billion, Hyundai said, suggesting it offered $880 million for the 80% stake. Boston Dynamics is best known for its robot dog, Spot, which went viral. Hyundai can leverage robot technology to expand automation at its unionized car factories, as well as design autonomous vehicles like self-driving cars, drones, and delivery robots, analysts said. Read more: The next big thing in classrooms: 'Zoom on wheels' robots are seeing a surge in demand The new stake comes after the newly promoted Hyundai Motor Group chairman, Euisun Chung, pledged to reduce reliance on traditional car manufacturing, saying car-making would only make up half of the company's future business.