CES 2022: Hyundai goes Robotics

On a huge stage, Euisun Chung, the chairman of the Hyundai Motors Group, presents robot modules for the mobility of the future. Among others, he brings Marc Raibert, the founder and chairman of the American robotics company, onto the stage. Boston Dynamics emerged from a spin-off of MIT in 1992 and developed walking robots. Initial interested parties were primarily the American military. In 2013, Google acquired the robotics specialists, a Japanese media conglomerate took over in 2017 before Hyundai acquired a majority stake in Boston Dynamics in December 2020. Chung also brought the robot dog "Spot" onto the stage for the presentation, only to send it off with a gesture.

Hyundai engineers believe that the boundaries between reality and the virtual world will soon blur in mobility. Advances in robotics technologies, such as artificial intelligence and autonomous driving, support this strategic venture. Intelligent devices will act as access points to the Metaverse platform in the future.

Somehow, there was always something “Meta” at CES 2022

And now Chung is promoting the advancement “into a new realm of metamobility.” A modular platform was presented as the technical foundation for new mobility solutions. This platform has four small electrically driven wheels at each corner. It is 125 centimeters long, 133 cm wide, and 189 centimeters high, with a cabin that accommodates one person. The small vehicle can be controlled with a joystick. The wheels are movable in all directions and can also vary in height, allowing the pod to overcome obstacles like stairs or curbs. The entire system is monitored by a data center or a cloud. The robot cabin can be brought to the house via App to, for example, transport a person with a disability from their apartment to a doctor or hospital.

These pods are intended to move from the house to a collection point and then be combined into a kind of "mothership" with eight one-person modules. This collection vehicle has no driver, is intended to be electric and autonomous, and will transport the passengers to their destination. Dong Jin Hyun, head of Hyundai's robotics lab, explains:

"Our goal is to create a limitless system where robotics enable all forms of personal mobility while being connected to communicate, move, and autonomously complete tasks."

Goods will be transported in autonomous boxes

Transport tasks, such as those that occur in manufacturing halls or the transport of luggage in hotels, can also be taken over by the autonomous modules. Another platform, on which various structures are possible, is "MobED." This platform stands on four individually suspended 12-inch wheels, allowing stable movement even on inclined and uneven roads. Various structures are also conceivable here - disabled people, strollers, or recreational vehicles should thus be mobilized. "We envision a future where robots are more than just machines, becoming useful and trustworthy companions in our daily lives," appealed Marc Raibert.

Also classic vehicles on the Hyundai stage

The electric SUV "Seven" is a mobile lounge. Elegant and – thanks to a hygiene system with UVC sterilizer – a germ-free interior with a sofa-like bench and swivel chairs surround the passengers. Since the vehicle is largely autonomous with Level 4, drivers and passengers are allowed to spend their time sleeping or reading. And Hyundai's subsidiary Mobis presents the M.Vision PPP, small two- and four-seat electric compact cars.

What does that mean?

Once again, Hyundai took advantage of the absence and weakness of others to make a big splash in the USA: Following the show of power in L.A., the "Triple" followed in Las Vegas, where the cars played a minor role, and instead overall systems and bots took center stage.