WATCH: Hyundai Motor Group reveals charging robots for EV

The Hyundai Motor Group has revealed a new technology designed to make the lives of electric vehicle (EV) owners more convenient — an automatic charging robot (ACR).

A short video was released by the South Korean automotive conglomerate to showcase the capabilities of the robot. You can check it out, here.

In the video, a Hyundai Ioniq 6 parks autonomously in an EV charging bay.

Once the vehicle is stationary, the ACR communicates with the Ioniq 6 to open the charging port. The robot then calculates the exact location and angle of the charging port using a camera mounted inside.

The ACR then picks up the charger and fastens it to the vehicle’s charging port, thus starting the charging session.

After charging is complete, the robot removes the charger, returns the charger to its place, and closes the cover of the vehicle’s charging port.

“The ACR will help to make EV-charging easier and more convenient, especially in dark environments. It will also improve accessibility, particularly for people with mobility barriers, as charging cables become thicker and heavier to enable high-speed charging. We will continue developing the ACR for increased safety and more convenience so that all EV customers can soon benefit from using it at charging stations,” said Hyundai Motor Group Head of Robotics Lab Dong Jin Hyun.

The ACR, the Hyundai Motor Group revealed, is waterproof and dustproof. It also has a safety pole with a built-in laser sensor around the robot to prevent possible accidents by enabling it to detect stationary and moving obstacles.

Hyundai Motor Group’s ACR will be on display at the consortium’s exhibition booth at the upcoming Seoul Mobility Show.

Photos from Hyundai

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