Hyundai Motor takes robotics tech to center stage at CES

Hyundai Motor Group will present what robotics technology will bring to human life in the future at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show 2022, in line with its vision of pushing mobility beyond the limits of physical movement, time and space, the automaker said Thursday.

Transforming itself from a transportation maker to a smart mobility service provider, Hyundai Motor said the key message of its presentation will include the company’s purpose and direction of expanding robotics technology business.

The automaker’s branching out into the robotics business follows the acquisition of robotics firm Boston Dynamics at 996 billion won ($838 million) in June, earning an 80 percent stake in the Spot robot maker. 

Hyundai Motor said it will showcase its core robotics technology-based Plug & Drive robotics module platform for the first time at CES 2022, which is slated to take place in Las Vegas from Jan. 5 to 8. 

Such product demonstrates the company’s idea of Mobility of Things (MoT) ecosystem, which refers to a new concept that mobility is part of everything, from inanimate objects to community spaces.

The automaker will exhibit examples of how robotics technology can work as a medium to connect the virtual world with reality in the concept of metaverse. Other robot products will be also showcased, including the recently revealed Mobile Eccentric Droid (MobED) as well as Boston Dynamics’ Spot and Atlas.

Led by Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Euisun, who took the helm in March last year, the company has been spurring its drive to shift the portfolio focus from combustion engine-based models to mobility services, such as developing autonomous driving technologies and hydrogen fuel cell systems, as well as producing electric vehicles and urban air mobility (UAM). 

Under Chung’s leadership, Hyundai Motor has invested in global autonomous driving technology companies such as Motional, EV makers Arrival, Rimac, EV charging network Ionity and car-hailing service firms like Grab.

By Kim Da-sol (ddd@heraldcorp.com)