Boston Dynamics CEO Robert Plater announced Tuesday that he is stepping down from his role effective and leaving the company on Feb. 27, as first reported by A3. Under Plater’s leadership, Boston Dynamics clawed its way through an acquisition from SoftBank that brought it to Hyundai in 2021, and it launched a new all-electric version of its humanoid Atlas robot in 2024. Just a few days ago, the company posted another video of its research Atlas robot attempting a tumbling pass and outdoor run as more enterprise-ready versions start coming out.
Boston Dynamics announced at CES last month that Atlas robots will begin working in Hyundai’s car plants by 2028, as the robotics field swells with rivals like Tesla and Figma, as well as AI companies with “world model” technology built for the robots.
Plater has been at Boston Dynamics for more than 30 years and has served as CEO since 2020, replacing the company’s original CEO, Marc Raibert. Boston Dynamics CFO Amanda McMaster will serve as interim CEO while the company’s board of directors searches for Platter’s replacement.
“Boston Dynamics has been the trip of a lifetime. What this place has become is far more than I could have imagined years ago in our funky lab in the basement of the MIT Media Lab,” Plater said in a letter to staff. The Verge. He also highlighted the company’s successes with the Spot, Stretch and Atlas robots.
Nicholas Noel, vice president of marketing and communications at Boston Dynamics, said in a statement, “From the early days of building robots, to the world’s first quadrupeds, to leading the entire humanoid industry, Plater made his mark as a leader in innovation. He transformed Boston Dynamics from a small research and development lab into a successful business that now proudly calls itself the global leader in mobile robotics.” The VergeAdding, “He will be greatly missed, but we hope he enjoys some good times. Thanks Rob.”
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