Hyundai's Walking Car Robot Gets Smaller, Adds Drone Support

Hyundai's New TIGER: A Transforming Cargo Robot

Hyundai Motor Group has revealed a novel “walking car” robot capable of both rolling on wheels and traversing challenging landscapes using its legs. This latest iteration is specifically engineered for cargo transport and possesses a compact size, enabling it to be airlifted by a drone.

Introducing the TIGER Robot

The TIGER robot – an acronym for transforming intelligent ground excursion robot – represents the inaugural “uncrewed” ultimate mobility vehicle (UMV) concept originating from New Horizons Studio. This facility, located in Mountain View, California, serves as the hub for Hyundai Motor Group’s UMV development initiatives.

TIGER builds upon the foundation laid by Elevate, a larger concept vehicle intended for passenger transport, which was initially showcased at the 2019 CES tech trade show.

New Horizons Studio’s head, John Suh, communicated to TechCrunch his commitment to realizing the TIGER concept “as soon as possible.” He anticipates a development timeline of approximately five years.

Development Roadmap

The team will dedicate the next two years to resolving fundamental technical challenges and establishing a foundational design.

Between 2023 and 2024, the project will progress to the beta-product phase, with extensive testing commencing before the robot becomes commercially available to customers.

Key Features and Capabilities

The current TIGER model is built upon a modular platform architecture, mirroring its larger predecessor. It features a combined leg and wheel locomotion system, enabling 360-degree directional control.

The robot incorporates a storage compartment for carrying goods and is equipped with a suite of sensors for remote monitoring. Furthermore, it is designed for integration with a drone, which can provide both charging and transportation to the designated location.

Operational Modes

TIGER operates in two distinct modes, selected based on the terrain. On relatively smooth surfaces, the legs retract, and the robot utilizes all four wheels for movement.

When encountering obstacles such as walls, berms, or logs, or if the vehicle becomes immobilized, it can transition to a legged mode, locking the wheels and proceeding on foot.

Future Iterations

This initial version of TIGER, designated X-1 for experimental purposes, indicates that New Horizons Studio intends to develop and release further variants in the future.

The creation of this prototype involved collaboration with engineering design software firm Autodesk and concept design company Sundberg-Ferar.