Hyundai Motor Group said on July 6 that a video showing parking robots autonomously parking the Kia EV3 electric vehicle is rapidly spreading across global online platforms.
In the YouTube video, the fast-moving Kia EV3 makes a 270-degree spin before coming to a stop in front of an empty parking spot, and then parks perfectly in a single maneuver. Upon closer inspection, however, the driver behind the wheel is not human. It is two parking robots developed by Hyundai Motor Group.
After successfully parking the EV3, the two robots perform fluid movements resembling a waltz, drifting and spinning to the tune of Tchaikovsky’s “Waltz of the Flowers.” This choreography, though, is not real. It was generated by artificial intelligence (AI).
The video was first uploaded on YouTube in October last year, but it began to go viral this April after it was shared on the popular Reddit community “Science, Tech, and Engineering World.” Since then, it has been featured as key content by global media outlets and influencer channels.
As of the 6th, the video has been shared across more than 48 media platforms, communities, and social media channels, and has racked up over 5.8 million views.
The parking robots were developed by Hyundai WIA, a parts affiliate of the group. Each robot is just 110 millimeters thick and is equipped with LiDAR sensors, enabling it to detect the size and position of a vehicle’s wheels from underneath and lift the car. These robots are already in practical use in Hyundai Motor Group’s manufacturing processes, including at Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) and Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Center Singapore (HMGICS).