Gary Zhou 
Hyundai announced today that it has developed an Automatic Charging Robot (ACR) that is similar to a design Tesla showed off a few years ago. The EV charging robot communicates with the car and will charge the vehicle without the driver having to get out.
The ACR uses a one-arm system that will automatically plug an EV charging cable into an electric vehicle.
In the demonstration video, an IONIQ 6 parks in a charging bay, and the AC communicates with the car to open the charging door and calculates the exact location of the port. This is done through a camera that is mounted inside.
The ACR will complete the entire charging process on its own from start to finish, never needing the driver or vehicle operator for help.
Hyundai said it plans to use the ACR to make charging easier and more streamlined, including for those who have trouble moving due to disabilities.
“The ACR will help to make EV-charging easier and more convenient, especially in dark environments. It will also improve accessibility, particularly for people with mobility barriers, as charging cables become thicker and heavier to enable high-speed charging,” Hyundai’s Head of Robotics Lab, Dong Jin Hyun, said. “We will continue developing the ACR for increased safety and more convenience so that all EV customers can soon benefit from using it at charging stations.”
Elon Musk has said that Tesla will utilize an “automatic snake charger” for its vehicles, which has been on display for several years. In October 2020, Musk said that we would eventually see it put into action.
The prototype was originally unveiled in 2015 and Musk confirmed it wasn’t just a one-time thing. However, we haven’t heard many more developments since its original unveiling, but Tesla has decided to dive head-first into AI and far past vehicle autonomy.
The Tesla Bot has been in development, and who knows what could come of it. However, the initial unveiling of the Tesla Bot showed it will be capable of handling household chores and everyday activities that humans might just find taxing and annoying.
Check out Hyundai’s ACR below:
