Solar charging, autonomous driving, thermal management and radiation shielding are all features of a new development from Hyundai and Kia, but it’s not a model you’ll see in showrooms. Or likely at all in person.
Hyundai Motor Group, including Kia, has announced it is currently developing a model for a lunar exploration mobility rover in collaboration with the Korean aerospace sector.
While some car companies are beginning to refer to themselves as ‘mobility companies’, HMG is taking it a step further, referring to the program as a way to “expand human reach”.
“Hyundai Motor Group has consistently stated its goal is to contribute to expanding human reach and the scope of human mobility experiences,” said Yong Wha Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of R&D for Hyundai Motor and Kia.
“The creation of the lunar exploration mobility development model not only reflects this goal, but also shows our ambition to achieve tangible results in the face of significant challenges.
“With the rover’s development, we are moving beyond land, sea and air mobility to expand into space mobility.”
While it might seem like a jump from cars to moon rovers, the brand lists its increasingly advanced technologies like robotics and autonomous driving, charging parts and Hyundai Rotem’s robot manufacturing technology as key to the program.
After development, the rover will be tested at the South Pole, though the model is apparently intended to reach the moon eventually.
Keyword: To the moon! Forgets cars, Hyundai and Kia developing lunar exploration rover for 'major Korean research institutes'