Hyundai Motor partners with SK Telecom to develop service robot

Lim Chang-won Reporter() | Posted : March 12, 2019, 10:53 | Updated : March 12, 2019, 10:53

[Courtesy of SK Telecom]

SEOUL -- Hyundai Motor will combine its artificial intelligence technology with an artificial intelligence voice assistant platform from South Korea's largest mobile carrier, SK Telecom, to develop a service robot that would treat customers at car showrooms.

Hyundai said Tuesday that it signed a memorandum of understanding with SK Telecom (SKT). Hyundai's DAL-e AI platform will be combined with SKT's AI platform, NUGU, which provides basic features of an AI voice assistant.

The two companies will jointly develop a service robot for customer service. The robot will be put into test operation this year to provide services such as greeting customers, vehicle description, music and weather information based on voice conversations with customers.

In July last year, SKT used its NUGU AI voice assistant platform, to launch a "home to car" service that would allow drivers to control their cars at their homes. The service would be applied to new cars produced by Hyundai and its affiliate Kia Motors.

To develop autonomous driving and other next-generation technologies, Hyundai has forged a series of strategic partnerships with foreign and domestic technology firms. In November last year, Hyundai CRADLE, a corporate venturing and open innovation business, made a strategic investment in, a leading technology company specializing in a deep learning-based platform.
