KR Leads World-First Pilot Demonstration of MobED, Hyundai Motor and Kia's Autonomous Mobile Robot Platform, aboard HYUNDAI DUBAI

- Joint project with Hyundai Motor and Kia, HMM, HOSand Gosung Engineering demonstrates autonomous navigation in a vesselcargo area under real operating conditions -

Korean Register(KR, CEO & Chairman Mr Lee Yongsok), together with Hyundai Motor and Kia, HMM, HMMOcean Service (HOS) and Gosung Engineering, carried out the world's firstonboard demonstration test of MobED (Mobile Eccentric Droid), Hyundai Motor andKia's autonomous mobile robot platform, aboard HYUNDAI DUBAI on July 6, 2026. The multipurpose vessel was berthedat the CJ Logistics Jeokhyeon Pier in Changwon, South Korea, at thetime of the demonstration.

Each participating organization contributed its respective areas of expertise to the successful demonstration. Hyundai Motor and Kia were responsiblefor the development of the platform and its control technology; KR reviewed relevant international regulations,safety requirements, and performance criteria for robotic systems; HMM and HOS oversaw smart vessel operations, management andremote monitoring; while Gosung Engineering handled robot systemintegration (SI), including top-module solutions.

MobED is a compact autonomous mobile robot platform developed by Hyundai Motor and Kia’s Robotics LAB.Its eccentric wheel-based Drive-and-Lift (DnL) module enables each of its fourwheels to adjust height independently. This allows the platform to maintain alevel upper surface and navigate stably across irregular or inclined terrain,even under demanding onboard conditions. MobED is equally adaptable infunction, capable of being configured for a variety of roles depending on theequipment mounted on top, including delivery modules, cameras, and inspectiondevices.

The demonstration was conducted across two zonesaboard HYUNDAI DUBAI. In the open container cargo section, MobED completedlinear and curved navigation, variable-speedtraversal, route learning, and fully autonomous navigation. In the vessel'spassageways, low-speed navigation and route learning were carried out undermanual control, reflecting the confined spatial conditions of that environment.

Through the demonstration, the participatingorganizations observed that open cargo areas with sufficient space are suitable for robot deployment without additional measures. Moreover, the use of robots in environments with restricted crew access, such ascargo areas carrying explosive or toxic cargo, showspotential that is worth exploring further. Passageways and engine rooms were identified asareas where supplementary equipment or purpose-scaled variants may be needed toaddress spatial and operational constraints.

MobED was first unveiled as a concept model atCES 2022 and then underwent approximately three years of development before itsmass-production model was introduced at the International Robot Exhibition(IREX) in Japan in December 2025. Earlier in 2026, MobED received the CES 2026 Best ofInnovation Award in the Robotics category.

DrMinwoo Park, Head of the Advanced Vehicle Platform Division, Hyundai Motor andKia, said : “This demonstration marks a meaningful step in validatingautonomous mobility technology in a vessel environment, as Hyundai Motor andKia expand the global robotics ecosystem with cross-industry partners. HyundaiMotor and Kia will accelerate this progress by building a data flywheel acrosstheir partners, driving both technological advancement and broader deployment intonew sectors.”

Mr Daeheon Kim, Executive Vice Presidentand Head of Research and Development, KR, said: “KR will continue to explore potential onboard applications with its partners, includingcargo area monitoring and material transport. Through ongoing collaboration onsafety and performance standards and follow-up demonstrations, KR looks forward to supporting the expansion of the smart ship ecosystems.”

The participating organizations plan to continue cooperation on follow-up demonstrations and applicationdevelopment.

ENDS