direction. The legs also fold
up into a stowed drive-mode,
where power to the joints is cut,
and the use of an integrated
passive suspension system
maximises battery ef ciency.
This allows Elevate to drive at
highway speeds just like any
other vehicle. But no other
can climb a ve foot wall, step
over a ve foot gap, walk over
diverse terrain, and achieve
a 15 foot wide track width, all
while keeping its body and
passengers completely level.
Further, the combination
of wheeled motion with
articulating legs provides a
new paradigm of mobility by
enabling faster walking speeds,
unique dynamic driving
postures and torsional control at
the end of each leg.
The need for ef cient, rapid,
resilient transportation for
disaster assistance is what led
Hyundai’s New
Horizons Studio
believes that the
combination of driven
wheels and powered legs
will result in ground
vehicles with
unprecedented
locomotion
capabilities
Hyundai to develop the rstever
vehicle with moveable
legs. Elevate is the rst Ultimate
Mobility Vehicle, blending
technology found in electric cars
and robots.
The New Horizons Studio,
envisions building vehicles to
wander with unprecedented
mobility. The products will
target customers who have a
need for travel in unconventional
and off-road terrain, including
places where vehicles have
never roamed before. These
vehicles will be subject to
more challenging
applications and
environments,
adaptable to
changing conditions.
Pushing the
boundaries of vehicle
development, the
unit will reimagine how
vehicles might traverse the
world.
Dr. John Suh has held several
leadership roles at Hyundai
Motor Group since 2011. He
served as founding director of
Hyundai Ventures, and then,
led Hyundai CRADLE (Center
for Robotic-Augmented Design
in Living Experiences) as its
founding director based in
Silicon Valley. He brings over
35 years of expertise in the
automotive and emerging
technology sectors, including
roles at Stanford University,
Palo Alto Research Center
(PARC; formerly, Xerox PARC),
and General Motors Company.
“We aim to create the
world’s rst transformer-class
vehicle, also known as the
Ultimate Mobility Vehicle,”
noted Dr. Suh at the launch of
the company.
The new unit furthers
Hyundai Motor Group’s vision
of shaping the future of mobility
and onboard forward-thinking,
innovative leadership from
Silicon Valley and other
innovation hubs.
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