What’s Happening: Hyundai Motor Group has developed an automatic charging robot (ACR) for electric vehicles (EVs) and has released a video showcasing its capabilities. The ACR is designed to plug a charging cable into an EV’s charging port and remove it once charging is complete. The robot video follows a CGI version released by the Group in July 2022.
Why It Matters: As EV adoption grows, the ACR is expected to make EV charging more convenient and accessible, particularly for individuals with mobility barriers. The advanced robot technology and integration of AI will help improve safety and convenience at charging stations.
Key Points:
- The Hyundai IONIQ 6 is shown parking autonomously in an EV-charging bay in the video.
- The ACR communicates with the vehicle to open the charging port, calculates the exact location and angle using a camera, plugs in the charger, and removes it once charging is complete.
- The Group’s Robotics Lab has developed an algorithm using 3D camera-based AI technology to enable the robot to handle heavy chargers accurately.
- The ACR has a waterproof and dustproof grade of IP65 and can operate stably even in extreme environments.
- A safety pole with a built-in laser sensor has been installed around the robot to detect stationary and moving obstacles and prevent possible accidents.
Bottom Line: Hyundai Motor Group’s ACR is expected to increase the convenience of EV charging significantly and, when combined with autonomous parking control systems, improve utilization by sequentially charging multiple parked vehicles. The ACR will be on display at the 2023 Seoul Mobility Show from March 31 to April 9.
