Hyundai and Kia are partnering with South Korean Incheon International Airport Corporation to test an AI-powered automatic charging robot for electric vehicles.
The trial will take place at Incheon International Airport, which plans to install 1,110 EV chargers by 2026 to support its green goals.
Hyundai and Kia’s Robotics Lab will provide the robot’s hardware and software and work with the airport on service plans.
As a window into the future of travel, Incheon International Airport has long been more than just a transit hub. At Incheon Airport, passengers may have already seen several robots, such as the roaming AirStar guide robots, which are ready to provide directions in multiple languages, or the AirPorter robots, which diligently handle luggage.
Incheon has established a reputation for being an early and enthusiastic adopter of robotic solutions, thanks to these, as well as autonomous AirRide shuttles for passengers who require assistance and even Air Dilly robots that deliver food to gates.
The ACRs are made to work on their own and do not require human intervention. Using an AI-integrated three-dimensional camera system. These robots can precisely locate the charging port of an electric vehicle, remove the charging handle from its cradle, connect the cable, and start the charging process. The robot removes the cable itself and returns to its original location once the charging is complete.
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With an error margin of less than 0.4 inches, the AI algorithm makes it possible to align objects with extreme precision. Regardless of the charger’s location, the weather, or any potential obstacles, the robots are designed to function reliably in a variety of environments.
They are waterproof and dustproof, boasting an IP65 classification. Surrounding the robot, a protective barrier equipped with an integrated laser sensor identifies both static and dynamic obstacles to prevent accidents.
The ACR communicates with the electric vehicle to open the charging port automatically, making the process completely automated. The robot’s design makes it possible to adapt to a variety of plug types, even though it mostly uses J1772 or CCS connectors. Both Korean certification (KC) and CE certification attest to these ACRs’ stability, quality, and compliance with fundamental safety standards.
To bring these AI-based EV automatic charging robots to market, Hyundai Motor Group and Incheon International Airport Corporation have formed a partnership. In addition, Incheon Airport intends to significantly expand its infrastructure for EV charging, aiming for 1,110 chargers by 2026, highlighting the potential impact of robotic charging solutions even more.