Automotive Engineering - February 2022 - 8

CES 2022
TECHNOLOGY REPORT
NEW MOBILITY
Hyundai enters the metaverse via its PnD technology
When Facebook announced last October
that it was changing its name to Meta,
most wondered whether people would
want to spend as much time in a virtual
world as they do on the platforms
browsing pics, posts and political rants.
At CES 2022, Hyundai Motor Group announced
that it is jumping into the metaverse
for what it calls " Metamobility "
purposes, which potentially could be
much more beneficial for transportation,
manufacturing and society at large than
Facebook's digital playground.
Hyundai's Metamobility vision marThe
Hyundai L7 concept combines four
PnD modules at each corner and a seat
that rotates so that the sole passenger can
get on and off easily.
ries emerging trends such as robotics,
virtual reality and " digital twin " technology
with the company's traditional
competencies in personal mobility and
manufacturing, while revealing how it
will leverage its acquisition last year of
robot developer Boston Dynamics. The
Korean automaker unveiled several
new hardware solutions that will help it
achieve its overarching goal of
" Expanding Human Reach, " including a
linchpin Plug & Drive (PnD) modular
platform that can autonomously move
people and goods.
The PnD module is an automated,
electric-powered, single-wheel design
that incorporates motors and suspension
components as well as lidar sensors
and cameras. Hyundai says the
PnD modules " can be scaled up or
down, for any purpose, size or application, "
and use " a steering actuator for
infinite wheel rotation, meaning it can
turn 360 degrees, which enables holonomic
movement, like a figure skater. "
Hyundai's PnD module is an automated, electricpowered
single-wheel design incorporating
in-wheel motors, suspension components, lidar
sensors and cameras.
8 February 2022
Multiple applications
At CES, Hyundai showed four primary
application concepts enabled by the
PnD platform: Personal Mobility, Service
Mobility, Logistics Mobility and L7. The
Personal Mobility concept is equipped
with four 5.5-inch (14-cm) PnD modules
and is intended to provide mobility for
a single passenger. It uses rotary doors
to save space and operates via a joystick.
The PnD-powered Personal
Mobility modules can also attach to a
" mother shuttle " to form bus-like transport
but detach to take occupants directly
to their final destination.
Using the same PnD platform, the
Service Mobility and Logistic Mobility
concepts have drawer-like storage bins.
Hyundai envisions the Service Mobility
unit as being used for " diverse applications,
such as transporting customers'
luggage in hotels, " while the Logistics
Mobility is designed for moving materials
and goods in industrial environments.
The L7 combines four larger 12-inch (30cm)
PnD modules at each corner and a
seat that rotates so that passengers can
get on and off easily. It is operated with
a joystick and can also be reconfigured
sans seat to carry packages or equipment
for logistic applications.
In addition, Hyundai unveiled a Drive
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
BOTH IMAGES: HYUNDAI
Automotive Engineering - February 2022

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