Hyundai & Kia: Autonomous Robots for Indoor Distribution of EV Batteries in India

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Hyundai and Kia continue to push the boundaries and expand in the field of electric vehicles, and that now includes entering the production of EV batteries in India. They’ve also been doing their own thing with robots – not to be outdone by Tesla, perhaps – and are showing off their ability to serve coffee indoors.

India is well known for its protectionist policies, focusing on domestic content, including the automobile sector. Reportedly, that is the main reason why Tesla is not in India yet. However, Hyundai and Kia are ready to step up their EV efforts there. Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation have teamed up with Exide Energy Solutions through an Agreement to produce LFP (lithium-iron-phosphate) batteries in India for EVs sold in India. Exide Energy Solutions is reported to be “India’s leading battery company.”

Naturally, India is seen as a huge potential market for electric vehicles, but it is not mature in terms of EV adoption. That is despite the fact that the country set a goal several years ago to become the first nation of 100% electric vehicles. (It was so far from that goal at the time when other countries already had high EV adoption, that it was a controversial public goal, but it has certainly been pushed by the wayside and forgotten over time.) However, this soon the Indian car market will go electric, and Hyundai and Kia will be there to get a good share of its sales.

“India is a key market for automotive electrification due to some of the government’s carbon neutrality targets, which makes achieving cost competitiveness through domestic battery production important,” Heui Won Yang said, President and Head of R&D Division of Hyundai Motor and Kia. “Through this global partnership with Exide Energy Solutions Ltd., we will gain a competitive advantage by supplying Hyundai Motor and Kia’s future equipment in the Indian market with locally produced batteries.”

And then there are robots.

I was thinking, should we talk about robots? Well, we are talking about them.

Last week, Hyundai and Kia unveiled a new version of their DAL-e Delivery robot. “This robot, based on the delivery robot introduced in December 2022, is expected to improve delivery performance, especially in difficult environments, such as offices and supermarkets,” the companies write. They also note that the robot has been significantly improved in terms of design and functionality. For example, it is now smaller on the outside but has more cargo space on the inside. It can carry up to 10 kg and up to 16 cups of coffee.

“DAL-e Delivery provides efficient and reliable F&B and delivery services to ensure customers receive products promptly,” said Dong Jin Hyun, Vice President and Head of Robotics Lab at Hyundai Motor and Kia. “Our vision extends to implementing interactive infrastructure in various areas, including offices, restaurants and shopping malls.”

Here’s a little more:

“DAL-e Delivery is based on four Plug & Drive (PnD) modules, a mobility solution that combines motor and steering, suspension, braking systems and environmental sensors. It can accelerate up to 1.2 m/s, with free-moving PnD modules combined with advanced autonomous driving technology to detect obstacles and navigate easily in congested areas. Also, the robot’s enhanced suspension provides ample travel over bumps in the floor to ensure stable delivery. (…)

“The main feature of DAL-e Delivery is its ability to drive and transfer to and from all floors of the building, seamlessly interacting with the elevator and door control system. Furthermore, it ensures a fast delivery service by creating the best way in real time. (…)

“When DAL-e Delivery arrives at its destination, it recognizes the recipient through its installed camera. Using advanced AI facial recognition technology developed by Hyundai Motor and Kia Robotics Lab, the door opens automatically without the need for the recipient to enter a password. This facial recognition technology, officially approved by the Korea Cyber ​​and Security Agency for its 99.9 percent accuracy, underlines the technological excellence of Robot Lab.

Star Wars, here we come!

Okay, I’m glad we’ve covered bots. For more information, check full press release.

All photos courtesy of Hyundai and Kia.