Hyundai's latest creation is an unmanned firefighting robot

Amidst its strengthening push into hybrid and electric vehicles, and conquest to make performance EVs fun, Hyundai Motor Group is making time to give back to the community - all while flexing the might of its tech.

The Group has announced the donation of four special firefighting robots to South Korea's National Fire Agency, designed to work in dangerous situations deemed too risky for human firefighters to go. Two are already being used by special rescue teams in the Capital and Yeongnam regions, while the other two will go to fire departments in Gyeonggi and Chungnam provinces.

Hyundai's latest unmanned firefighting robot is based on Hyundai Rotem's HR-Sherpa as its base 

Working with South Korea's National Fire Agency, these robots were created based on the Hyundai Rotem's electrified, unmanned multi-purpose vehicle - dubbed the HR-Sherpa - as its base.

In their bid to aid the fire department effectively, the four robots are equipped first and foremost with water cannons, taking the form of a front-mounted nozzle that can shoot water in different ways to fight various types of fires effectively.

Additionally, the robot boasts a self-protection system that allows it to constantly spray coolant around itself, creating a water shield. This keeps its temperature at between 50-60°C even when surrounded by raging fires as hot as 800°C.

Apart from a front water cannon, the robot comes with other specialised features including a self-protection system, a heat-vision infrared camera, and a six-wheel drive system

Other cool features include a heat-vision infrared camera that helps the robot see through the smoke and flames to locate fire sources or people who need rescue, as well as special heat-resistant tyres and a six-wheel drive system that allow it to move smoothly over debris and obstacles in fire zones.

But perhaps its most crucial feature is its ability to be controlled remotely by an operator - allowing firefighters to direct all its movements and firefighting actions from a safe distance.

Hyundai has underscored the importance of these robots in providing invaluable aid to South Korea's firefighting services, noting that at least 1,802 firefighters in South Korea have been injured or killed while doing their jobs over the past 10 years.

Moving forward, Hyundai hopes that its robots will help to minimise the number of injuries and fatalities among firefighters in South Korea  

In response, the robots aim to keep firefighters safer by handling the most dangerous situations, and promise to be especially useful for a multitude of scenarios. These include fighting initial fires in large blazes, working in areas where buildings might collapse, and checking if dangerous areas are safe before rescue teams enter.

Furthermore, since the robots run on electricity instead of gas engines, they work well in tight spaces filled with toxic gasses where regular fire trucks cannot operate safely.

The Group has shared that it has provided training manuals and instructions to help fire departments use the robots effectively, and has already laid out plans to keep working closely with them to ensure they work safely and reliably during real emergencies.​