The Hyundai Motor Group (HMG) sure has been busy when it comes to new consumer-oriented features for the automobile lineup, but the automotive group doesn’t stop there. Putting virtual assistants and artificial intelligence into cars is just the start. Robotics and artificial intelligence are another path the HMG treads, and they’ve been doing some interesting things over the years. HMG has developed robotaxis, as well as the Kia Niro Plus for its sibling company Kia Corp. The group unveiled an automatic charging robot for battery-electric vehicle (BEV) consumers to make recharging a laid back and easy operation last year, and in April 2024, HMG introduced the new and improved Dal-e delivery robot. Recently, the group deployed both robots inside an IGIS Asset Management’s Factorial Seongsu alongside Hyundai WIA’s “Parking Robot” to test the first robot-friendly office building in Seoul.

All four robots are a part of the “Robot Total Solution” development plan. Via the utilization of robots and facial recognition systems in smart buildings, buildings can employ robotic technology for performing day-to-day tasks, from the parking garage to private offices. A “smart building” reminds us of the “Smart City” concept HMG announced at the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show.

DAL-e Delivery Robot

The Dal-e Delivery Robot is quite impressive. Equipped with a Plug & Drive (PnD) module, a form of autonomous driving technology, the PnD module operates the motor and steering, suspension, braking systems, and environmental recognition sensors. The robot is able to navigate its surroundings, through congested public areas, and around obstacles at 1.2 meters-per-second. Complete with an 11.6-inch high-resolution display to offer consumers a clear representation of service status and if it’s currently in-use, the robot has a loading capacity to hold up to 22 pounds of items. When it comes to delivery, the robot identifies the recipient through a camera and artificial intelligence (AI) Face Identification technology developed by the Robotics LAB that has an accuracy of 99.9 percent - if the ID matches, a storage tray comes forward automatically to deliver the items. This will make fulfilling coffee orders or lunch orders much easier around the office.

Parking Robot

We’ve heard rumors of this popping up in HMG and Kia models, but it hasn’t been talked about much. Hyundai WIA’s “Parking Robot” has been in development, able to autonomously park vehicles weighing up to 2.2 tons at speeds of up to 1.2 meters per second in any direction. Successfully commercialized at the Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Center Singapore (HMGICS) last year, the Parking Robot has also been deployed at Factorial Seongsu to make parking in tight spaces easier, allowing for more parking spaces to be installed in the same area. Perfect for parking garages and auto rental parking, the Parking Robot can park and retrieve a consumer’s car from its designated parking spot, and then autonomously park it again when the consumer returns it. Best of all, the robot is removable and compatible with any other vehicle a consumer or business may want to install it on. Equipped with cameras, the Parking Robot consists of two flat and wide robots that slide under a car to lift and move its wheels, as well as recognize the wheel size and placement when parking.

Smart Parking Control System and Automatic Charging Robot (ACR)

This one could go hand-in-hand with the Parking Robot. Assuming Factorial Seongsu also has some charging stations, Hyundai WIA has developed a “Smart Parking Control System” that can operate the parking robot remotely. Able to control 50 parking robots simultaneously, the Smart Parking Control System can offer electric vehicle (EV) charging services to a group of consumers automatically through the charging robot. Once the robot is done charging, the Automatic Charging Robot will unplug and go back into a stationary position for use by another consumer. With a little programming, the Parking Robot can be installed to move the cars when they finish charging and move them into an available parking spot, freeing up the charging station for another vehicle.

Pretty cool stuff, eh? HMG intends to expand its robotics services to more buildings, making them more widespread. It’s just another step closer to a smart city. Want to learn more about the cool technology the HMG is working on? Follow along with us on NowCar social media.

Photo Source/Copyright: Kia Media