At this year’s CES tech launch in Las Vegas, Hyundai unveiled a design for a vehicle that could be the future of the first responder industry with “limitless” possibilities.
The car, called Elevate, comes complete with robotic legs. It’s designed for use at natural disaster sites, allowing users to climb, walk, or drive over difficult terrain. Although it’s currently in the early concept stages, Hyundai has been working in partnership with a Detroit firm, Sundberg-Ferar, on the Elevateconcept for almost three years.
There is no official timeline for its commercial rollout. However, Elevate would become the first car with moveable legs by combining technology used for both robots and electric cars, making it the inaugural Ultimate Mobility Vehicle. It is capable of “both mammalian and reptilian walking gaits,” which means it can climb walls, bridge enormous gaps, and move in virtually any direction, all while keeping its passengers safe and level.
“This technology goes well beyond emergency situations,” said Hyundai vice present John Suh. “People living with disabilities worldwide […] could hail an autonomous Hyundai Elevate that could walk up to their front door, level itself, and allow their wheelchair to roll right in. The possibilities are limitless.”