Hyundai – a robot as a "fuel" attendant
The Hyundai Motor Group has developed an automatic charging robot (ACR) for electric vehicles and released a video of the automated charging process (see link below). The ACR for electric vehicles is a single-arm robot that can plug a cable into the charging port of an electric vehicle and remove it again after the charging process is complete.
In the video, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 parks itself at an electric charging station. Once the vehicle is stationary, the ACR communicates with the vehicle to open the charging port, calculating the exact position and angle with the help of a camera mounted inside the vehicle.
The robot then picks up the charger and attaches it to the vehicle's charging port, initiating the charging process. Upon completion of the charging process, the robot removes the charger, returns it to its place, and closes the cover of the vehicle's charging port.
"The ACR will help make charging electric vehicles easier and more convenient, especially in dark environments. It will also improve accessibility, particularly for people with mobility impairments, as charging cables are becoming increasingly thicker and heavier to allow for faster charging," says Dong Jin Hyun, Head of the Robotics Lab at Hyundai Motor Group. "We will continue to develop the ACR in order to increase safety and convenience, so that soon all EV customers can benefit from its use at charging stations."
Simply Charging – Highly Complex
Hyun emphasizes the complexity of the charging process. Although the ACR may appear deceptively simple at first glance, it is an example of the company's advanced robotics technology. The group's robotics lab considered various variables in the development of the ACR, such as the parking position of the vehicle, the shape of the charging port, the weather, possible obstacles, and the weight of the charging cable.
For a robot to securely attach a charger to the charging port, a software technology is required that can simultaneously calculate these various variables. For this purpose, the group has developed an algorithm that applies 3D camera-based AI technology to robots, and a next-generation control technology based on this application enables robots to handle heavy chargers precisely.
Water and Dust Resistant
Since most charging stations for electric vehicles are installed outdoors without cover, the engineers at the group’s research and development center built a customized outdoor electric vehicle charging station and evaluated its performance under various conditions. The result: The ACR is water and dustproof according to IP651, and its performance has been significantly improved, allowing it to operate stably even in extreme environments. Additionally, the engineers installed a safety pole with a built-in laser sensor around the robot to avoid possible accidents, as it is capable of detecting both stationary and moving obstacles.
What does that mean?
According to Hyundai, automatic charging robots are expected to significantly increase the convenience of charging electric vehicles and thus attract more people to electromobility. Who would have expected the gas station attendant to return as a robot?
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