The company is currently looking into other uses for the uncrewed car, such as urban delivery and emergency applications.
Hyundai looks to the future with its latest project, the Tiger X-1 Ultimate Mobility Vehicle. The Tiger X-1 Ultimate Mobility Vehicle was designed by the forward-looking New Horizons Studio of the automaker. It is a vehicle that can deliver parcels and supplies to remote locations without the need for a crew.
The second Ultimate Mobility Vehicle (or “Transforming Intelligent Ground Excursion Robot”) from New Horizons is called the Tiger. It builds on the lessons from the Hyundai Elvate concept starting in 2019. The Tiger is an all-wheel drive vehicle that has each wheel mounted to an articulating frame. This allows the cart to walk and climb over obstacles too large for a human operator. The wheels have 360-degree locomotion. They can also swivel independently from one another, which allows for side-to-side and forward movement.
The Hyundai Tiger X-1 was created to be a mobile scientific exploration platform. It can make on-the-fly deliveries from more central bases to remote areas. An unmanned aerial vehicle will assist the vehicle in this mission. It can transport the Tiger to a drop zone close to its destination and recharge the cart, if necessary. The X-1’s modular design allows for a wide range of cargo bodies to be carried, but unlike the Elevate, it can also be used to recharge the vehicle completely unmanned.
According to Sundberg Ferrar, uncrewed surveillance is a potentially dangerous use. The Tiger would have a camera body attached to it, which would allow it to perform reconnaissance in “locations unsuitable for humans.” Hyundai representatives also acknowledged that there would be some defense and military applications, such as delivering driverless supplies in hostile territory. The Tiger could be used to transport supplies to areas affected by climate events and natural disasters, as well to provide search-and rescue support.
Autodesk’s generative skills are used in the Tiger X-1, reducing weight and strength without compromising strength. The Tiger, like the Elevate, is a study Hyundai will evaluate for possible use cases. As the technology becomes more attainable, it’s likely that the Tiger X-1 can deliver everything, from urban packages to relief supplies, in the near future.