LG Electronics says it will design, produce and supply actuators in-house, with a mass-production system to be built within the year
Hyundai Mobis plans to supply actuators when Atlas enters mass production
As the era of physical AI draws closer to reality, actuators — which serve as the joints and muscles of humanoid robots — are emerging as a major next-generation growth opportunity. <ChatGPT-generated image>
[Insight Korea = Nam Bit-haneul]
As the era of physical AI comes into view, actuators that function as the joints and muscles of humanoid robots are emerging as a key next-generation growth engine. In response, major South Korean companies including LG Electronics, Hyundai Mobis and HL Mando are racing to capture the market.
Actuators are drive devices that move the joints of humanoid robots, including arms, legs and fingers. They are considered core components, accounting for more than 40% of a robot’s manufacturing cost. A single humanoid robot is said to use an average of 25 to 30 actuators, and in some cases as many as 50.
According to market research firm Valueates, the global humanoid robot actuator market is expected to expand from $150 million in 2024, or about 220 billion won, to $9.86 billion in 2031, or roughly 14.5 trillion won, representing an average annual growth rate of 80%.
LG Electronics bets on 60 years of motor expertise
LG Electronics has designated this year as the starting point for the full-scale rollout of its robot business and plans to directly design and manufacture actuators. More specifically, the company has officially declared that it will accelerate its B2B components business supplying global robot manufacturers.
LG Electronics unveiled its robot actuator brand “Axium” at CES 2026 in Las Vegas in January. <LG Electronics>
Lyu Jae-cheol, president of LG Electronics, said at the company’s annual shareholders’ meeting on the 23rd that “based on Axium, we will establish a mass-production system within the year that enables us to design, manufacture and supply actuators on our own,” adding that “we aim to position ourselves as a key supplier in the market going forward.” Axium is the robot actuator brand LG unveiled at this year’s CES.
LG Electronics’ competitive edge lies in its motor expertise accumulated over roughly 60 years in the home appliance business. The company produces more than 45 million high-performance motors annually, including AI DD motors used in refrigerators and dryers, ultra-high-speed vacuum cleaner motors capable of 150,000 rpm, and integrated motors combined with drivers to reduce size and improve efficiency.
That technological base provides the foundation for the core strengths required in actuators, including lighter weight, smaller size, higher efficiency and greater torque. In particular, because a humanoid robot requires dozens of actuators, LG Electronics’ modular design technology is also expected to provide an edge in customized, multi-product manufacturing.
In a report, Park Kang-ho, an analyst at Daishin Securities, said, “LG Electronics has internalized actuator production through its own motor competitiveness and has already built vertical integration in robot-related areas such as AI, batteries and displays,” adding that “it is well positioned to respond aggressively to the early growth phase of physical AI.”
Similar to automotive components, putting Hyundai Mobis and HL Mando in focus
Automotive parts makers such as Hyundai Mobis and HL Mando are also expected to hold favorable positions in the robot actuator sector. That is because the technology is highly similar to existing automotive component manufacturing, and these companies also possess large-scale precision manufacturing capabilities.
Lee Byung-geun, a senior researcher at LS Securities, said in a report that “robot actuators convert a motor’s rotational force into high torque through a reduction gear to realize precise movements,” adding that “such systems are largely composed of an electric motor, reduction gear, encoder and controller, making them structurally very similar to automotive steering or braking systems.”
Hyundai Mobis officially announced its entry into the robot actuator market at its “2025 CEO Investor Day” held in August last year. At this year’s CES, it said it had established a strategic cooperation framework with Boston Dynamics, Hyundai Motor Group’s robotics affiliate, and would supply actuators when Atlas enters mass production.
HL Mando also presented robot actuators as a core growth pillar at its CEO Investor Day in December last year. The company plans to build a pilot line in 2028 and begin full-scale mass production from 2029 at global bases including North America and South Korea. It has also laid out an ambition to secure a 10% market share and generate 2.3 trillion won in sales by 2035.
The reason major Korean companies are paying such close attention to actuators lies in the strong growth potential of the humanoid robot market itself. Global investment bank Goldman Sachs has projected that the worldwide humanoid robot market will grow from $1.5 billion in 2025 to $37.8 billion in 2035.
In a report, Kwon Myung-jun, an analyst at Yuanta Securities, said, “As technology advances, growing demand for robots capable of replacing human labor is expected to drive growth in the robot market, which in turn will lead to growth in the actuator market used inside robots.”
An industry official who requested anonymity also said, “Actuators are considered one of the most promising downstream industries in the age of physical AI,” adding that “Korean companies that have built up component technology over a long period in the home appliance and automotive sectors are likely to be competitive in this market.”
-This article was translated by ChatGPT. (이 기사는 챗GPT가 번역했습니다.)
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