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CES 2026 Puts ‘Physical AI’ on the Road and the Factory Floor

Nvidia’s Rubin and Alpamayo framed a year defined by on‑road robotaxi trials and concrete timelines for industrial humanoids.

Overview

  • Nvidia detailed its Rubin architecture, slated to begin replacing Blackwell in the second half of 2026, and introduced Alpamayo open models for autonomous vehicles and robots.
  • Robotaxi efforts progressed, with Uber, Lucid and Nuro confirming public-road testing in the San Francisco area and a service launch targeted before year’s end.
  • Boston Dynamics and Hyundai positioned Atlas for factory work, with Hyundai expecting deployments by 2028, and TechCrunch reported collaboration with Google’s AI lab on training and operation.
  • Home and assistive robots showed gains but also limits, as LG’s CLOiD handled chores slowly in demos and Roborock’s stair‑climbing Saros Rover remained in development without a release date.
  • LEGO’s Smart Play debuted sensor‑equipped bricks for app‑free interactive builds, while coverage highlighted chip supply strains and ongoing privacy and regulatory questions for broader rollout.