Seoul, Jan. 5 (BUS): Hyundai Motor Co. envisions an interactive and partly virtual future it calls “metamobility,” in which a variety of robotic devices interact with humans to provide a wide range of mobility services, from automated individual transportation to remote-controlled robots in factories. smart”.
Hyundai executives, led by CEO Eason Chung, explained that vision in a briefing at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Tuesday.
Aside from the buzzwords, Hyundai expects to leverage its growing expertise in robotics and artificial intelligence to build a futuristic mobility network that connects humans in the real world to objects and tasks in the virtual world, according to Reuters.
The concept is related to the so-called metaverse, a term coined by author Neal Stephenson 30 years ago, but which attracted attention recently when social media company Facebook changed its name to Meta Platforms Inc. It can be accessed online, and it can take advantage of virtual reality or augmented reality.
Hyundai has provided several examples of how it connects the metaverse with the real world:
A vehicle that can be converted into a workspace or entertainment room that includes a 3D video game console.
A “smart” factory where humans outside the factory remotely control robots that interact with machines and products inside the factory.
Automated personal transport devices for people with disabilities or individuals who wish to maintain social distances while traveling.
To make all this work, the automaker said it is building a Mobility of Objects system that will connect modular robotic platforms to perform various mobility services.
One unit called Plug & Drive, or PnD, is a one-wheel robotic platform that combines intelligent steering, brakes and suspension with an electric inboard motor, cameras and lidar sensors for automation.
For larger logistics tasks and other mobility services, Hyundai can bundle four PnD modules, including one that mates with a robotic dog called – what else? – spot.
HF