Hyundai Motor deploys Boston Dynamics' Spot robot at factory

Published : Sept 17, 2021 - 10:36 Updated : Sept 17, 2021 - 10:36

A factory safety service robot, which is based on US robot startup Boston Dynamics' four-legged Spot, inspects the safety of Kia Corp.'s automotive factory in Gwangmyeong, southwest of Seoul, in this photo provided by Hyundai Motor Group on Friday. (Yonhap)

South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor Group said Friday it has launched a pilot project to deploy a robot to inspect safety at its factory, the first collaboration with US-based startup Boston Dynamics.

The automotive group said the factory safety service robot based on Boston Dynamic's four-legged robot Spot went into pilot operation at its subsidiary Kia Corp.'s plant in Gwangmyeong, southwest of Seoul.

It is the first project launched between the two companies after the automotive group in June completed the $880 million acquisition from Japanese conglomerate Softbank.

Hyundai Motor said the robot is capable of automatically navigating the factory with the help of its artificial intelligence processing unit, teleoperation technologies and other censors.

In a Youtube video clip, the robotic dog climbs up and down stairs to navigate the empty Kia factory after dark and checks whether equipment is hot or doors are open.

Hyundai Motor said it will collect data from the pilot project to optimize the robot's performance and apply it in various industrial sites.

The automotive group has been working with the Boston-based robotics firm to develop industrial robots, and support smart factory and smart mobility solutions. (Yonhap)