[Car Talk Forest] Hyundai's Delivery Robot Dalina... Expectations Raised by Boston Dynamics Acquisition

[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] When I used to cover the distribution industry, the biggest topic was always ‘Coupang.’ More precisely, it was ‘What is Coupang’s intention?’ At that time, Coupang was posting a loss of 1 trillion won annually but was attracting attention due to its aggressive expansion. The question was, ‘Why would a loss-making company do this?’ Then, I heard an interesting story from an analyst at a securities firm. Coupang’s largest cost component was labor, represented by the ‘Coupangman,’ but with technological advancements, autonomous driving seemed imminent, and if the ‘last mile service’ from delivery vehicles to consumers could be solved, the company would quickly turn profitable.

Recently, when I heard the announcement that Hyundai Motor Group had acquired Boston Dynamics, the first thought that came to mind was Coupang. I thought that the future of distribution dreamed of by Coupang and SoftBank Chairman Masayoshi Son could be realized by Hyundai Motor Group.

The biggest issue in the distribution industry, especially for delivery-focused companies, is last mile technology. Last mile technology is not as easy to realize as one might think. This is because the world we live in is fundamentally designed for bipedal locomotion. Thinking about wheelchairs helps to understand this quickly. No matter how many facilities are expanded for wheelchair mobility, obstacles like stairs or push-to-open front doors remain. The fundamental challenge for wheeled delivery robots made by Baedal Minjok or Amazon’s delivery drones lies in this area.

But what if bipedal or quadrupedal robots become practical? Hyundai Motor Group directly develops vehicle navigation systems and has accumulated the largest amount of related big data such as road information. They also possess sensor and radar technology for autonomous driving. Not to mention their mobility technology. They are a company fully capable of realizing last mile technology more than any other. If Hyundai Motor Group perfects robot technology and quickly enters delivery-related businesses including open markets, how would the distribution industry landscape change?

Let’s imagine further. What if Hyundai Motor Group created mobility robots for people with disabilities? Electric wheelchairs that move on wheels on regular roads but can deploy legs for bipedal or quadrupedal walking when needed. They could even transform like child car seats for the safety of disabled passengers when boarding vehicles.

Too futuristic? Search YouTube for Hyundai Motor Group’s ‘Second Steps’ or ‘The Quietest Taxi in the World’ videos. Hyundai Motor Group is a company interested in ‘future mobility’ for the mobility rights of people with disabilities and has the technology to make it a reality.