Hyundai shows robot axi that should transport passengers in 2023

Hyundai is showing an autonomous version of the Ioniq 5 together with Motional. This robotic axi will have cameras, radars and lidar to create a 360-degree image around the car. This allows the car to drive itself at level 4. The robot axle still has a steering wheel and pedals.

The Ioniq 5 robotic axi will be fitted with more than thirty sensors, which involve a combination of radars, cameras and lidar. Judging by the images, the car appears to have lidar systems on the roof and the two front side shields, with radar systems on the front, sides, rear and roof. The cameras are present all around. With these sensors and Motional’s software, the car could navigate independently through ‘challenging and complex traffic situations’. Motional is a partnership between Hyundai and automotive technology supplier Aptiv.

With the software and the sensors, the car at level 4 must be able to drive autonomously. This means that under certain circumstances the car can drive independently without intervention by the driver. This could mean, for example, that the car can only drive independently in certain cities. Hyundai does not indicate in the message what the limitations of the system will be. The images show that the car will have a driver’s seat with pedals and a steering wheel.

Motional and Hyundai also say they have “perfected certain functions of the Ioniq 5”, such as navigation, steering, braking and power. The companies are not giving any details on this, other than that they want to improve passenger safety and comfort. In addition, there is another interface, so that passengers can communicate with the robot axle to have it stop somewhere along the way, for example. The two companies also indicate that they can offer remote vehicle assistance at the robot axi; this allows a Motional employee to intervene remotely and give the taxi a new route if, for example, there are road works or flooding.

The robotic axi is Motion’s first commercial vehicle and should start transporting passengers in 2023. Motional is going to partner with Lyft for this. Earlier , the two companies indicated that they want to offer self-driving robot axis in ‘several American cities’ by 2023.

Hyundai introduced the Ioniq 5 earlier this year . The car comes with a 58kWh or 73kWh battery and has a range of up to 480km. It is not clear what specifications the robot axi has.