On Thursday, Hyundai Motor Group showcased a parking robot for residential complexes at Hillstate The Wave City in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province, and shared the results of its pilot project on the following day.
The demonstration highlighted the parking robot’s ability to move a vehicle to the exit area within three minutes after receiving a request from a resident’s unit.
This groundbreaking pilot project is a collaborative effort between Hyundai Motor, Hyundai Wia, and Hyundai Construction, implemented through a smart city regulatory sandbox. It represents the first domestic trial of operating parking robots in a residential complex with over 50 parking spaces, validating the feasibility of this innovative technology and service.
The event was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Korea Agency for Infrastructure Technology Advancement, and local government officials from Gyeonggi Province.
During the demonstration, Hyundai Motor Group simulated three real-world scenarios: simultaneous entry and exit, resolving double parking, and temporary exits.
The simultaneous entry and exit scenario showcased the parking robot’s ability to manage vehicles requesting entry and exit at the same time.
A notable feature was demonstrated when a resident used their in-home wall pad to request their car, prompting the parking robot to deliver the vehicle to the exit area in approximately three minutes.
The double parking resolution scenario exhibited the robot’s capacity to maximize limited parking space by strategically moving and rearranging vehicles. In the temporary exit scenario, the system simulated retrieving items from a vehicle by temporarily relocating it before returning it to its designated spot.
This pilot also allowed Hyundai Motor Group to explore the potential for integrating various systems – including entry barriers, in-unit wall pads, and artificial intelligence (AI)-based vehicle inspection – with the parking robots, creating a comprehensive service from vehicle entry to storage, inspection, and exit.
Additionally, the company has developed version 2.0 of a smart parking management system, capable of optimizing routes and dispatching for up to 200 parking robots simultaneously.
For this pilot, Hyundai Motor Group utilized two sets of parking robots from Hyundai Wia. Each set comprises a pair of slim, wide robots, measuring just 110 mm in thickness. These robots operate by sliding under the vehicle, lifting its wheels, and transporting it to the desired location.
Leveraging the insights gained from this pilot, Hyundai Motor Group aims to establish the necessary technologies and operational standards for widespread implementation. The company is also exploring opportunities to expand the technology’s application beyond residential complexes to transportation hubs, commercial areas, and office buildings, while engaging with relevant agencies to address potential regulatory challenges.
Jeong Ho-geun, Vice President of Hyundai Motor’s Future Strategy Division, stated that its goal is to transform parking spaces into smart city hubs, fostering seamless connections between people, mobility solutions, robotics, and urban infrastructure.