The planned "walking car" of Hyundai is a step closer to the realization after the car manufacturer revealed a new development center that costs $20 million to expedite its arrival.
A Mail Online report said, the goal of the New Horizon Studio, which has opened in Montana in the United States, is to develop vehicles for future clients who want or need to travel through terrains that are challenging for standard ground or land-based vehicles.
The technological invention will focus on the development of UVMs or Ultimate Mobility Vehicles which include a car with legs, and the ability to simply walk over anything it's struggling to drive over.
The South Korean company previously exhibited designs for UMVs at the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show.
The ‘walking car’ is envisioned with articulating legs to traverse any terrain making it ideal for mobility for disabled persons as well as for emergency response in natural or manmade disasters.
Resembling the AT-AT Walkers as Seen in 'Star Wars'
Hyundai's Elevate concept, which is resembling the "All Terrain Armored Transport or AT-AT walkers as seen in the Star Wars universe, integrates a standard wheel with a leg that unfolds for hazardous terrain.
This technological invention aims to deal with challenging driving situations and possibly save lives as the first responder during natural disasters.
The vehicle manufacturer has even revealed before, a taxi concept in New York that can climb stairs and pick up wheel-chaired passengers.
Another concept is described as an "uncrewed transforming intelligent ground excursion robot." this is designed to carry different payload types while traveling through treacherous terrain.
Refining UMVs
The group at the New Horizon Studio's research, development, and lab center in Bozeman, Montana will first focus on refining the two UMV models' development, testing, and deployment.
For Elevate, this is the first UMV, mixing technology found in robots and eclectic cars which allows it to travel through terrain outside the limitations of "even the most capable off-road vehicle," the company said previously.
The concept of Elevate is based on a modular electric vehicle or EV platform with the ability to switch out different bodies for certain conditions.
Essentially, the robotic leg architecture comprises five degrees of freedom, plus wheel hub propulsion motors, and is enabled by the most recent electric actuator technology.
Mammalian and Reptilian Walking Gaits
This design is extraordinarily capable of both mammalian and reptilian walking gaits, enabling it to move in any direction.
The legs of this walking car, as described in a related Business Live report, are folding up as well, into a stowed drive move, where the power to the joints is cut, and the use of an integrated passive suspension system is maximizing the efficiency of the battery. This enables Elevate to drive at highway speeds, similar to any other vehicle.
WATCH: Hyundai’s bizarre walking car in action https://t.co/RhNvznujBA
— BusinessLIVE (@BusinessLiveSA) May 12, 2022
Nonetheless, no other vehicle of this type has the ability to climb a five-foot wall, step over a five-foot gap, walk through various terrain, and attain a 15-foot wide track width, all while maintaining both its body and passengers fully level.
Moreover, the combination of wheeled motion with articulating legs offers a new paradigm of mobility by allowing quicker walking speeds, unique dynamic driving postures, and torsional regulation at the end of every leg.
Information about Hyundai's walking car is shown on Alpha Squad Official's YouTube video below:
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