DAL‑e robot will revolutionise delivery services | FOS Future Lab

The new and improved robot is designed to work in robot-friendly buildings and carry out swift and dependable delivery in complex indoor environments like offices.

Drawing insights from Hyundai Motor and Kia’s previous conveyance pilot project, DAL-e Delivery has undergone significant improvements in both design and performance. This new design features autonomous driving and even face identification technology developed by Hyundai Motor and Kia’s Robotics Lab and certified by the Korea Internet and Security Agency.

“DAL-e Delivery offers efficient and reliable food and beverage (F&B) and parcel dispatch services to ensure customers receive goods promptly,” said Dong Jin Hyun, Vice President and Head of Robotics Lab at Hyundai Motor and Kia.

“Our vision extends to implementing infrastructure interworking across diverse spaces, including offices, restaurants and shopping malls.”

DAL-e Delivery is based on four Plug & Drive (PnD) modules, a mobility solution that combines a motor with steering, suspension, braking systems and environmental recognition sensors.

The robot achieves a top speed of 1.2 metres per second, easily navigating around obstacles and narrow passages using holonomic movement. Its square column design with rounded corners ensures a low centre of gravity for enhanced stability, ensuring steady transportation for up to 16 coffee cups.

Even the finer details are cleverly integrated, with discrete sensors and lights and a sophisticated metal-like design that lends DAL-e Delivery a futuristic, premium aesthetic. DAL-e Delivery may be smaller in size than the previous version but the internal cargo space is now larger, with an increased cargo capacity perfect for bulky or heavy packages weighing up to 10kg.

Although the standout features of DAL-e Delivery are its autonomous driving and facial recognition. The robot is able to navigate and transfer to and from all building floors, seamlessly interfacing with elevator and door control systems and even creating optimal routes in real time.

When DAL-e Delivery arrives at the destination, it recognises the recipient using advanced AI facial identification technology developed by Hyundai Motor and Kia’s Robotics Lab and the door automatically opens without the need for a password. This facial recognition technology, officially certified by the Korea Internet and Security Agency for its 99.9 per cent accuracy, underscores the technological excellence of the Robotics Lab.

Located in Seoul, Hyundai Motor and Kia signed a business agreement with IGIS in May last year to commercialise the robot-friendly building and revolutionise delivery services to create the ultimate office of the future.