Hyundai Develops Walking Car, The Future is Strange

by Tim Healey

Published: September 29th, 2020

hyundai develops walking car the future is strange

Is it a car if it can walk?

Hyundai is working on a concept called Ultimate Mobility Vehicles (UMVs), a sort of walking car/vehicle/contraption that can go where traditional vehicles cannot.

The company has formed a group called the New Horizons Studio to work on the UMVs, including a concept called the Hyundai Elevate.

These vehicles look like walking pods, with wheels at the end of each of four “legs.” The idea is that they could be used to traverse extremely difficult terrain or assist disabled people with mobility. Imagine a scenario where these vehicles help first responders rescue hikers stranded in a canyon/crevasse, or maybe these things can assist firefighting crews as they battle wildfires.

They look a bit like larger, vehicular versions of the frightening robotic dogs from Boston Dynamics. But the robo dogs are still way more terrifying.

For now, these vehicles, which have a bit of Transformers in them, are a concept, but they could be useful in the real world.

Whether it is called a car or not.

[Images: Hyundai]

#Hyundai #NewHorizonsStudios #Robotics #WeirdVehicles

Tim Healey

Tim Healey grew up around the auto-parts business and has always had a love for cars — his parents joke his first word was “‘Vette”. Despite this, he wanted to pursue a career in sports writing but he ended up falling semi-accidentally into the automotive-journalism industry, first at Consumer Guide Automotive and later at Web2Carz.com. He also worked as an industry analyst at Mintel Group and freelanced for About.com, CarFax, Vehix.com, High Gear Media, Torque News, FutureCar.com, Cars.com, among others, and of course Vertical Scope sites such as AutoGuide.com, Off-Road.com, and HybridCars.com. He’s an urbanite and as such, doesn’t need a daily driver, but if he had one, it would be compact, sporty, and have a manual transmission.

More by Tim Healey

Comments

Join the conversation

2 of 15 comments

Akear on Sep 30, 2020

Please don't give crazy Mary any ideas. I envision her cancelling the Malibu and Camaro to free up resources for legged vehicles. LV's (Legged vehicles).

Like Reply
Jdmcomp on Oct 01, 2020

I was given one of these things to drive while my C Class air bags were being replaced. It was a real penalty box, hard riding, loud, and poor handling. Would never consider this vehicle.

Like Reply

Recent Comments

Lou_BC I don't like black. I wouldn't want white because that's your standard fleet colour. I lean towards colour's that are less likely to show scratches and dings. The blue on my ZR2 is nice colour but a bad colour for showing up trail rash and dust. It wasn't my 1st choice but at the time it was the only truck I could find at a price I was willing to pay.
Michael I don’t have the luxury of choosing the color of my car and even people in my life who have recently purchased relatively expensive new cars are having their choice of what local dealers have or what they’re getting in soon, shades of grey and white. If I had the choice I would have gone with color when I was younger but now would choose a silver, grey, or black. Whatever looked best on the model.
CoastieLenn That price seems a bit high for a high mileage mid-tier Accord, especially a coupe whose resale is typically lower than the stalwart sedan. I do like this generation coupe a lot though.
La3541 Red is my go-to color. I love candy-apple red (guards red on Porsche). I have had several red cars. Maroon is not good though.I have always loved British racing green and recently got my first one. A British racing green 4-series that I had to special-order.Silver, black, gray, and white are pretty boring. However, as RNA656.. stated, white looks good on some cars. for more boring colors, I also like chalk on porsches. Nardo gray on Audis is pretty nice.
CoastieLenn They're gonna sell tens of these, and I don't believe those presented numbers for a second! Good on them for offering it though.