Titled “A Safer Way Home,” the video presents the robot as a next-generation firefighting solution designed to be deployed first at high-risk disaster sites where people may struggle to enter because of collapse risks, extreme heat, explosions, smoke and toxic gases. Hyundai and Kia built the robot in collaboration with Hyundai Rotem, Hyundai Mobis and the National Fire Agency.
The video shows the robot responding to a large fire to help reduce casualties and protect firefighters. It features working firefighters from the National 119 Rescue Headquarters, including rescue team leader Lim Pal-sun, who also took part in the narration.
In the video, the robot carries out missions using what the company described as physical AI technologies, including an advanced autonomous driving assist system, an AI vision-enhancement camera, a high-pressure photoluminescent reel hose and a 6x6 in-wheel motor system. It also includes footage of the robot’s first on-site deployment, at a factory fire in Eumseong, North Chungcheong Province, on Feb. 30.
The AI vision-enhancement camera is intended to help operators identify hazards in advance through remote-control monitoring. Using cameras based on short- and long-wavelength thermal imaging sensors, the system sends detailed site information in real time, the company said, including in conditions where smoke and high heat limit visibility.
The high-pressure photoluminescent reel hose is designed to glow in the dark. Firefighters typically follow a hose to find an entry direction and an exit route in low-visibility disaster scenes; the company said the hose can emit or reflect light to guide evacuation routes and support safer movement for entry teams.
Hyundai Mobis’ 6x6 in-wheel motor-based electrified system powers the robot, the company said. With motors mounted on each wheel, it can rotate 360 degrees in place to maneuver in tight spaces and complex access routes. Hyundai said it plans to use machine learning to train on-site data such as smoke levels, fire scale and temperature.
Hyundai Motor Group said it plans, together with the National Fire Agency and the National Fire Research Institute, to advance the system into a fully unmanned firefighting robot that can assess conditions on its own, analyze the fire’s origin point and suppression priorities, calculate the most efficient suppression method and extinguish the fire.
“An unmanned firefighting robot is technology that enters dangerous scenes before people to protect firefighters’ lives and safety,” a Hyundai Motor Group official said. “We will continue technology development and support so it can be a reliable assistant for the uniformed heroes who protect members of our society and public safety.”
* This article has been translated by AI.
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