Watch: The Hyundai Automatic Charging Robot for Electric Vehicles

Hyundai Motor Group has unveiled the Hyundai Automatic Charging Robot (ACR) for electric vehicles that is capable of plugging a cable into an EV’s charging port and removing it again once charging is complete. The ACR has been developed to operate reliably in all environments, regardless of charger location, weather, and potential obstacles. To accomplish this, the Hyundai Automatic Charing Robot uses control technology that has been applied by a 3D camera-based artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm.

Hyundai has predicted that robots like the ACR will support humans with EV charging in the near future, overcoming accessibility issues and inconvenience for some EV drivers. For instance, 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.

In addition, the Hyundai Automatic Charging Robot will provide increased safety and convenience for all EV customers by applying next-generation control technology that allows robots to accurately handle heavy chargers. The ACR has been designed to consider diverse variables, such as the parking location of the vehicle, the shape of the charging port, the weather, potential obstacles, and weight of the charging cable.

The ACR has been evaluated in various conditions, and as a result, it has secured a waterproof and dustproof grade of IP651. Its performance has been greatly improved so that it can be stably operated even in extreme environments. Moreover, the engineers have installed 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 has developed an algorithm that applies 3D camera-based AI technology to robots. The group’s Robotics Lab has considered various variables in developing the ACR to make EV charging more convenient and accessible. The ACR will be on display at Hyundai Motor’s exhibition booth during the 2023 Seoul Mobility Show, held at KINTEX in Ilsan-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, from March 31 to April 9.

The Hyundai Automatic Charging Robot is an example of the Group’s advanced technology that will significantly increase the convenience of EV charging. The ACR will improve accessibility, especially for people with mobility barriers, as well as making EV charging easier and more convenient. However, the real question we see is why go through all this hassle, and instead focus on wireless charging?  Seems that’s the real direction EV charging is going.

Watch the videos below, and find out more about the Hyundai Automatic Charging Robot here.