The world is moving faster than we can even think. Constant innovations open up new visions we never imagined. Even automakers are finding new ways to rethink vehicle design and development to redefine the future of transportation and mobility. The recent launch of hyundai first concept of an unmanned Ultimate Mobility Vehicle (UMV), “TIGER” is something that stands at the forefront of innovation and revolution.
TIGER stands for Transforming Intelligent Ground Excursion Robot. It is an intelligent and transforming ground excursion robot that has been designed to work as a four-wheel drive vehicle or a crawling machine. of the Hyundai Motor Group New Horizons Studio in partnership with Autodesk and Sundberg-Ferar developed this vehicle to carry countless payloads while traversing remote and inaccessible territories. Dr. John Suh, Head of New Horizons Studio, explains that they are “constantly looking for ways to rethink vehicle design and development and redefine the future of transportation and mobility.”
Checking TIGER capabilities
TIGER is a concept vehicle that will play an important role in mobile scientific exploration platforms in extreme and remote locations. It features a leg and wheel locomotion system with 360 degree steering control. For remote observation, it includes a range of sensors. It can connect to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to load and deliver TIGER to inaccessible places.
As this vehicle has articulated legs and wheels, it is capable of carrying larger loads and delivering in emergencies. The legs are retracted so TIGER can drive like an all-wheel-drive vehicle, but when stuck, he can use his walking ability to move across terrains seamlessly. This feature was first seen in Hyundai’s previous innovation “Elevate” in 2019, which could carry passengers. With Elevate’s elevated design, the TIGER can cross terrain beyond the boundaries which proves to have more ability to be an all-terrain vehicle.
The elementary version of TIGER
TIGER X-1 is the first basic level release that brings together a wide range of technology design and expertise for comprehensive development. The X in the name stands for experimental. TIGER X-1 was built with the replication capabilities of leading engineering design software company Autodesk, partnered with Hyundai for its outstanding mobility R&D compatibility.
Srinath Jonnalagadda, vice president of business strategy for design and manufacturing at Autodesk, expressed her excitement about working with Hyundai on the TIGER X-1. She said it will bring us “advanced technology such as generative design to push the boundaries of increasing strength while reducing weight in transport, which is exactly what we mean when we say create new possibilities”.
The team also collaborated with Sundberg-Ferar to improve the external concept design into an incredibly strong and light structure with legs and chassis elements with a carbon fiber composition. The goal of this concept vehicle is to deliver and recover critical payloads over rough terrain or to reach areas hit by natural disasters.
TIGER’s 360 degree surface evolution is also capable of exploring the surface of any planet in space. Sundberg-Ferar head of design and innovation strategy, David Byron, said the team “sought to create a robot that maximizes the efficiency of wheel motion with the articulation of a quadruped to broaden the possibility of reaching more distant places”.
Innovative design, engineering and manufacturing techniques have been used in TIGER to deal more effectively with difficult situations. It is a modular platform that participates in several unique applications that may not be suitable for humans. TIGER will certainly play an important role in the future to modernize and amplify the working process to create a better and safer world for everyone.
Youtube: Hyundai’s new walking robot car could help explore the moon | Launch of the TIGER X-1 concept
Photo credit: The images used are the property of Hyundai Motor Group and have been provided for press use.
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