Photo: Hyundai
Flying cars may be all the rage right now with developers, but Hyundai is looking to keep its feet on the ground for a while longer.
At CES 2019, Hyundai unveiled the much-talked about Elevate concept, a car that had wheels but also robotic legs that allowed it to pick itself up and crawl over treacherous terrain. Elevate was a UMV, according to Hyundai: the Ultimate Mobility Vehicle that would be suitable for a variety of purposes, both on Earth and on future space missions.
Because not all concepts are destined to live solely on the page they’re drawn on, Hyundai is working towards making a production version of Elevate. That’s the plan, at the very least: a new unit within Hyundai will focus on creating UMVs and ultimately redefine personal vehicular mobility.
That unit is called New Horizons Studio and will be fronted by Dr. John Suh. The first project that will be developed by this new division is the Elevate UMV, with Dr. Suh saying in a statement, “We aim to create the world’s first transformer-class vehicle, also known as the Ultimate Mobility Vehicle.”
As noted above, such a UMV would have multiple applications. The robotic legs would allow it to crawl over terrain not accessible by wheeled vehicles, which would make it ideal for rescue missions either on rock or in snow. It could also be sent to space to crawl over the surface and pick up samples. It could even be used for disabled passengers who don’t have a ramp to use: the UMV would lift itself up and allow access directly into the cabin with a wheelchair.
“These vehicles will be subject to more challenging applications and environments, adaptable to changing conditions,” Hyundai says of UMVs and its goal of “pushing the boundaries of vehicle development.”
Let not these big words distract you from the reality that these UMVs are most likely still in the distant future. But this Hyundai unit is a step in the right direction, literally so.
Because not all concepts are destined to live solely on the page they’re drawn on, Hyundai is working towards making a production version of Elevate. That’s the plan, at the very least: a new unit within Hyundai will focus on creating UMVs and ultimately redefine personal vehicular mobility.
That unit is called New Horizons Studio and will be fronted by Dr. John Suh. The first project that will be developed by this new division is the Elevate UMV, with Dr. Suh saying in a statement, “We aim to create the world’s first transformer-class vehicle, also known as the Ultimate Mobility Vehicle.”
As noted above, such a UMV would have multiple applications. The robotic legs would allow it to crawl over terrain not accessible by wheeled vehicles, which would make it ideal for rescue missions either on rock or in snow. It could also be sent to space to crawl over the surface and pick up samples. It could even be used for disabled passengers who don’t have a ramp to use: the UMV would lift itself up and allow access directly into the cabin with a wheelchair.
“These vehicles will be subject to more challenging applications and environments, adaptable to changing conditions,” Hyundai says of UMVs and its goal of “pushing the boundaries of vehicle development.”
Let not these big words distract you from the reality that these UMVs are most likely still in the distant future. But this Hyundai unit is a step in the right direction, literally so.
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