The space race is once again in high gear as leading experts across the globe prepare for the upcoming lunar mission. In fact, major carmakers are designing machines that would hopefully help us explore and deliver cargo across challenging terrain. Just like what we have here on earth, the surface of the moon and other planets will be difficult to navigate. Hyundai, on the other hand, presents a cutting-edge concept – the TIGER – to overcome these challenges in mobility.
A couple of year back, the South Korean automotive group presented the Elevate. This vehicle was supposedly intended as an emergency responder’s best bet against obstacles that could compromise rescue operations. Now, Hyundai is tweaking that idea to give us the TIGER (Transforming Intelligent Ground Excursion Robot).
Its capabilities might be similar to their previous proposal, but it boasts one distinct upgrade. The Elevate requires a crew to operate, whereas the TIGER does not. The team at Hyundai Motor Group’s New Horizons Studio in Mountain View, California plan to go with AI instead.
This configuration allows it to transport various types of cargo and heavier payloads. The motorized legs can dynamically adjust its ground clearance. Moreover, it can use them to walk over surfaces that are otherwise impassable even by modern overlanding platforms.
Hyundai is not alone in this exciting endeavor as folks from Sundberg-Ferar and Autodesk are there to lend a hand. The TIGER ultimate mobility vehicle concept is a unique solution that will have multiple applications. The brilliants minds behind this project hope it will see action on the lunar surface and other planets in the future.
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Images courtesy of Hyundai