Hyundai charging robot will plug your EV in for you
High levels of convenience for EV owners at core of Hyundai’s new automatic charging robotHyundai has showcased a new in-house-developed automatic charging robot (ACR) for its growing range of electric cars ahead of its debut at the 2023 Seoul Mobility Show next week.
A one-off creation for now, the single-arm ACR autonomously plugs a compatible EV into a fast-charger, so all motorists have to do is park their vehicle in one of the designated bays and walk away.
The robot uses wireless connectivity to communicate with the relevant vehicle and open the powered charge port cover before using its 3D cameras and AI software to locate the port and connect the charger.
Once charging is complete, the robot disconnects the plug, puts it away, closes the charge port and sends a notification to the vehicle owner’s phone, alerting them their vehicle is charged and ready to go.
It’s a pity the robot can’t also move the car to allow other EV owners to use the fast-charger, but it’s a step in the right direction.
“The ACR will help to make EV charging easier and more convenient, especially in dark environments,” said Hyundai Motor Group head of robotics Dong Jin Hyun.
“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.”
Hyundai has not provided a timeframe for its rollout and to date has only employed the robot at a specially developed undercover charging station at its R&D centre.
However, the company said the ACR features IP65 weatherproofing, meaning it should be fine for use in extreme environments such as those in Australia.
A proximity sensor ensures both the device and passers-by are kept safe from any unwanted collisions at any stage of the charging process, before and after.
Hyundai Motor Group executives have said they expect automatic charging robots to significantly increase convenience of EV charging in the future, especially in conjunction with autonomous parking control systems.
The group has posted a demonstration video on its global YouTube channel, showing a remote-parked Hyundai IONIQ 6 being charged and unplugged again at the purpose-built R&D station.
Tesla has been developing robotic charging for several years, however the Hyundai device and Volkswagen’s R2-D2-style charging robots are far more advanced than the robo-snake charger Tesla was developing back in 2015.
Related: Hyundai DAL-e AI Customer Service Robot launched
Related: Volkswagen's mobile charging robot nears reality
Related: Tesla creates robo-snake charger
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