Hyundai unveils "intelligent ground excursion robot" that operates without driver

Hyundai's newly unveiled concept for a "ground excursion robot" operates without a driver — and can reach some very tight corners.

Driving the news: Hyundai said it's designed to access "remote" and "extreme" terrain for uses like delivery of goods, scientific missions, or emergency aid after a natural disaster.

• It can operate with wheels or as a "four-legged walking machine," the company said.
• Hyundai tells Axios it's a battery electric vehicle with the option of having an internal combustion engine as a "range extender."

Why it matters: It could eventually become a real-world thing (even if it never operates on the moon, which Hyundai called an option for this kind of concept).

• CNET reports that Hyundai is "seriously pursuing this type of legged vehicle for eventual production."
• Car and Driver quotes John Suh, head of Hyundai's New Horizons Studio, saying that beta versions for testing could arrive around 2023 or 2024, and a production version could follow about five years later.

Go deeper: Hyundai's TIGER 'ultimate mobility vehicle' concept is the size of a housecat (Engadget)