{"id":1699,"date":"2020-12-10T10:42:49","date_gmt":"2020-12-10T10:42:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/?p=1331134"},"modified":"2020-12-10T10:42:49","modified_gmt":"2020-12-10T10:42:49","slug":"hyundai-bought-boston-dynamics-for-nearly-1b-now-build-a-walking-car","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/?p=1699","title":{"rendered":"Hyundai bought Boston Dynamics for nearly $1B \u2014 now build a walking car!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>At the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2020-11-09\/softbank-is-said-to-be-in-talks-to-sell-robot-maker-to-hyundai\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">start of last November<\/a>, reports surfaced that Korean carmaker Hyundai was in talks to buy Boston Dynamics, the company that makes those robot dogs that will probably lead the charge when the machines rise up.<\/p>\n<p>Now, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnet.com\/roadshow\/news\/hyundai-purchases-boston-dynamics-for-921m-makers-of-spot-dog-robot\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">various reports<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kedglobal.com\/newsView\/ked202012080011\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">confirm that a deal<\/a> has been reached, and it will see Hyundai take over Boston Dynamics from its current owners, Japanese conglomerate SoftBank, for $921 million.<\/p>\n<p> <iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/wXxrmussq4E\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\">[embedded content]<\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/gizmodo.com\/hyundai-motors-reportedly-bought-boston-dynamics-for-al-1845845546\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">As Gizmodo reports<\/a>, this is the third time in seven years that the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2020-11-09\/softbank-is-said-to-be-in-talks-to-sell-robot-maker-to-hyundai\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">unprofitable<\/a> Boston Dynamics has changed hands.<\/p>\n<p>The company spun off from a research unit at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the 1990s, and operated on its own until Google bought it in 2013. In 2017, SoftBank stepped up and took it off the Big G\u2019s hands.<\/p>\n<p><em>[Read: <a href=\"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/plugged\/2020\/11\/30\/why-ai-is-the-future-of-home-security\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Why AI is the future of home security<\/a>]<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Under SoftBank, Boston Dynamics began selling its robotic quadruped to select organizations and individuals so it could gather more data and test it in a more diverse range of scenarios.<\/p>\n<p>At this point, it\u2019s largely impossible to say what Hyundai wants to do with Boston Dynamics. There are a few overlaps between the companies that could lead to product refinements on both ends.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnet.com\/roadshow\/news\/hyundai-purchases-boston-dynamics-for-921m-makers-of-spot-dog-robot\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">As Road Show by CNET points out<\/a>, Boston Dynamics doesn\u2019t just make four-legged harbingers of the apocalypse, it also makes industrial robots that are designed for use in warehouses.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/5iV_hB08Uns\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\">[embedded content]<\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Remember Handle, the two-wheeled box mover that moves with the same concerning elegance as an armless velociraptor? Maybe Hyundai wants to put these things to work on the production lines of its cars.<\/p>\n<p>Indeed, whilst Hyundai is best known in the consumer world for making cars, that\u2019s not all it does.<\/p>\n<p>It has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hyundaimotorgroup.com\/TechInnovation\/Etc\/Wearablerobot.hub\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">also made a wearable robot<\/a>, think more motorized exoskeleton, to help those with lower limb paralysis walk. Perhaps Hyundai could use Boston Dynamics tech to further develop these mobility tools.<\/p>\n<p>Or perhaps Hyundai wants to tear down the Boston Dynamics\u2019 sensor tech to use in self-driving or automated cars.<\/p>\n<p>But let\u2019s be honest, assuming that Hyundai isn\u2019t planning to take over the world with a fleet of robot dogs, what we really want to see is a walking car.<\/p>\n<p>As it happens, back in 2019 at CES, Hyundai <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hyundai.news\/eu\/brand\/hyundai-elevate-walking-car-concept-creates-a-new-vehicle-category\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">showed off renderings of its <em>Elevate&nbsp;<\/em>concept car<\/a>, which, you guessed it, can drive and walk.<\/p>\n<p>In theory, it could operate like a regular car, driving along, minding its own business. Or drivers could deploy its \u201clegs,\u201d lock the drive wheels, and walk over rough terrain, <em>exactly like Boston Dynamics\u2019 dog.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Coincidence? I don\u2019t think so.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/SZvQtlh6ueM\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\">[embedded content]<\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>In September this year, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.topgear.com\/car-news\/electric\/yes-folks-hyundai-developing-walking-car\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Top Gear reported<\/a> that Hyundai was actively developing its walking car, making it more than just a virtual concept.<\/p>\n<p>It could be exceptionally useful to emergency services that have to respond to disasters where regular wheeled vehicles can\u2019t drive.<\/p>\n<p>Hyundai\u2018s \u201cNew Horizon\u2019s Studio\u201d is tasked with the job of bringing this absolutely essential piece of technology to life. \u201cWe aim to create the world\u2019s first transformer-class vehicle,\u201d Hyundai reps said at the time.<\/p>\n<p>But I think we can all agree, that it must absolutely, 100%, completely, and totally, dedicate everything it can to this project. It must get made.<\/p>\n<p>Just like evil overlords, Hyundai isn\u2019t revealing its plans for Boston Dynamics, so we can\u2019t know for sure if Elevate will become a reality.<\/p>\n<p>The company\u2019s Global PR Team Leader Jin Cha has provided the following comment to a number of outlets: \u201cAs a global business entity, Hyundai Motor is continuously exploring various investment and partnership opportunities. As a company policy, we do not comment on market speculations.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Come on Hyundai, just make the walking car, so we can at least put up a fight in the war against the robot dogs.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.polestar.com\/nl\/polestar-and-shift?utm_medium=pp&amp;utm_source=dp&amp;utm_campaign=pcid_3450_41261_85609_351306_p_nl_1local_pp_dp&amp;utm_content=ad\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><\/p>\n<figure class=\"post-image post-mediaBleed alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1308892 lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2020\/07\/Polestar_wordmark_pos.png\" alt width=\"220\" height=\"100\" sizes=\"(max-width: 220px) 100vw, 220px\" data-lazy=\"true\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2020\/07\/Polestar_wordmark_pos.png 3003w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2020\/07\/Polestar_wordmark_pos-280x127.png 280w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2020\/07\/Polestar_wordmark_pos-540x245.png 540w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2020\/07\/Polestar_wordmark_pos-270x123.png 270w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2020\/07\/Polestar_wordmark_pos-796x361.png 796w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2020\/07\/Polestar_wordmark_pos-1592x723.png 1592w\"><\/figure>\n<p><\/a><i><a href=\"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/shift\/\">SHIFT<\/a> is brought to you by Polestar. It\u2019s time to accelerate the shift to sustainable mobility. That is why Polestar combines electric driving with cutting-edge design and thrilling performance.<\/i> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.polestar.com\/nl\/polestar-and-shift?utm_medium=pp&amp;utm_source=dp&amp;utm_campaign=pcid_3450_41261_85609_351306_p_nl_1local_pp_dp&amp;utm_content=ad\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><i><span>Find out how<\/span><\/i><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-post-pubDate\"> Published December 10, 2020 \u2014 10:42 UTC <\/p>\n<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/shift\/2020\/12\/10\/hyundai-bought-boston-dynamics-for-nearly-1b-now-build-a-walking-car\/\">Source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>At the start of last November, reports surfaced that Korean carmaker Hyundai was in talks to buy Boston Dynamics, the company that makes those robot dogs that will probably lead the charge&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1700,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1699"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1699"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1699\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1700"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1699"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1699"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1699"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}