Lee Min-hyung joined The Korea Times in 2014 and has worked as a journalist mainly in Korea’s finance, tech and automotive industry. He specializes in content creation, breaking news and in-depth analysis currently on transportation and mobility. You can reach him via mhlee@koreatimes.co.kr.
CES 2026 Hyundai Motor’s autonomous mobility robot wins innovation award at CES
Hyundai Motor's MobED autonomous driving robots / Courtesy of Hyundai Motor
By Lee Min-hyung
MobED mobility robot embodies carmaker's robotics vision
LAS VEGAS — Hyundai Motor’s first autonomous mobility robot platform has won a top innovation award from the CES 2026 for its versatile commercial use and safe yet precise driving performance in most terrains, the carmaker said Sunday (local time).
A concept model of the Mobile Eccentric Droid (MobED) was first unveiled at CES 2022, and it took three years for the carmaker to reveal the end product. The self-driving robot will be mass-produced and available for sale in the first quarter of this year.
The robot — developed by Hyundai Motor Group’s Robotics LAB — received the Best of Innovation Award in Robotics from the show’s organizer, the Consumer Technology Association (CTA). This is the first time the carmaker has won the award, considered the highest-ranking recognition for innovation.
The robot is 115 centimeters long with a width of 74 centimeters. It is capable of driving at a speed of up to 10 kilometers per hour. On a single charge, the MobED can operate for more than four hours.
The carmaker touted the robot’s technological excellence, in particular its advanced mechanism that enables it to adapt to diverse environments ranging from narrow indoor pathways to rugged terrains.
The state-of-the-art robot platform drew the spotlight at the International Robot Exhibition 2025 last month in Tokyo for its intuitive and futuristic design.
The robot integrates cutting-edge sensors and drive-and-lift modules — a key driver for its balanced and safe performance under any outdoor circumstance, according to the carmaker.
The CTA also spoke highly of the MobED’s versatility, as diverse top modules can be installed to match user demand. For instance, the robot is expected to carry out multiple roles in delivery, logistics, and even film and photography.
The robot comes in two types — basic and pro. The MobED Pro is powered by an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm and light detection, and is equipped with light detection and ranging sensors for more advanced autonomous driving.
“The latest award represents the progress of our robotics technology in ways that enhance the value of people’s daily lives,” said Hyun Dong-jin, vice president and head of Robotics LAB.
“We will continue to develop more sophisticated AI-powered autonomous robots to drive mobility innovation, just as we did when we unveiled the concept model of the MobED four years ago at CES,” he said.
Hyundai Motor will promote the robot at its exhibition hall during this year’s tech fair and demonstrate its use cases.