South Korean car manufacturer Hyundai is globally renowned for its pioneering vision and championing of new technologies, and at CES 2019, it reinforced that viewpoint with an incredible new vehicle.
Hyundai showcased its Elevate project on the eve of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, their futuristic new vehicle has robotic legs which enables it to walk or crawl over treacherous terrain. Elevate combines technology from electric cars with robotics and has been dubbed the ‘Ultimate Mobility Vehicle’.
Hyundai executive John Suh was speaking at the unveiling of the Elevate project and said the unconventional vehicle provided first-aid responders with the ability to save lives.
Suh said, “What if a car designed with robotics could save lives in disasters. The need for search and rescue, and humanitarian aid, is growing around the world."
It was pointed out to attendees at the technology-centric conference in Las Vegas, that Hyundai’s Elevate is designed with four mechanical legs with wheels for feet, according to a small-scale model shown at the press event. In addition to this, Elevate vehicles can roll along on extended legs or retract them to be driven like a car.
It was further disclosed that Hyundai had been working on the project for almost three years, and examples were provided at how Elevate can be used to carefully extract injured people from disaster zones or rugged terrain. According to Suh the possibilities of Elevate are limitless and said the vehicle was a game-changer for emergency respondents.
Suh added, “It can go where no vehicle has gone before. This technology goes well beyond emergency situations - people living with disabilities could hail an autonomous Hyundai Elevate that could walk up to their front door, level itself, and allow their wheelchair to roll right in. The possibilities are limitless."