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When did robotics become such a large part of the automotive industry? It seems like every major automaker is coming up with some sort of virtual assistant or autonomous artificial intelligence to make driving easier and more laid back. Robotaxis were and still are a big thing, but a few years ago, the Hyundai Motor Group (HMG) and Mitsubishi Electric introduced AI and mobility services that focus on robotics during the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show. Recently, Hyundai and Kia have been working on robotic devices that can also make the everyday life of consumers easier, such as an automatic charging robot for battery-electric vehicle (BEV) consumers. Its most recent announcement is a delivery robot that can pick up packages for consumers and deliver them across the city, the DAL-e Delivery robot.
A more enhanced version of a previous concept, the DAL-e Delivery robot has some impressive specs. One would think it’s a small automobile, outfitted with Plug & Drive (PnD) modules, a mobility solution that combines a motor with steering, suspension, braking systems, and environmental recognition sensors. Able to travel up to 1.2 metres-per-second, the robot uses advanced autonomous driving technology to recognize obstacles or pedestrians, and navigate through congested public areas. DAL-e Delivery can even navigate and transfer to and from all building floors via an elevator and door control system, just like people. To ensure the robot isn’t impeded by bumps or small holes in the road, its enhanced suspension provides stable delivery during its journey from point A to point B.
“DAL-e Delivery offers efficient and reliable F&B and parcel dispatch services to ensure customers receive goods promptly,” said Dong Jin Hyun, Vice President and Head of Robotics Lab at Hyundai Motor and Kia. “Our vision extends to implementing infrastructure interworking across diverse spaces, including offices, restaurants and shopping malls.”
Not too small, the DAL-e Delivery is still capable of holding a sizable weight for deliveries. The internal cargo space is larger than its predecessor, and has the capacity to hold up to 22 pounds of items. This makes it a great option for delivering bulky or heavy packages. Kind of makes us think about those robotic luggage bags that run on wheels and follow the owner via a Bluetooth connection.
To avoid possible theft, the DAL-e Delivery robot utilizes advanced AI facial identification technology with 99.9 percent accuracy developed by Kia and Hyundai Motor’s Robotics Lab to recognize the recipient before opening its door. For easy loading and unloading, inside is a storage tray that comes forward once the door opens. The robot also comes with an 11.6-inch high-resolution display to offer consumers a clear representation of the service status and if it’s currently in-use. Thus, we suspect it will be like a Lime scooter or Divy bike that consumers can use or rent as they please.
This robot was initially introduced in December 2022, and since then, it has come a long way. If you want to stay up to date on cool car tech and robotics like the DAL-e Delivery robot, be sure to follow along with us on NowCar social media.