[CES 2026] Hyundai's MobED Wins Best of Innovation Award

Hyundai Motor received the Best of Innovation Award in the Robotics segment with its next-generation autonomous mobility robot platform MobED (Mobile Eccentric Droid) at CES 2026, officially receiving international recognition for its robotics technology competitiveness on the global stage. The awards ceremony was held on January 4 (local time) in Las Vegas, USA, with the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), which organizes CES, selecting winners through comprehensive evaluation of innovation, technology, and design.

This award is the first Innovation Award Hyundai Motor has received since participating in CES, and is particularly significant in that it is the Best of Innovation Award given only to the highest score by segment. It is interpreted as a case showing a turning point in Hyundai Motor's robotics strategy in that it was simultaneously evaluated on actual product competitiveness and commercial viability rather than a simple concept proposal.

MobED is an abbreviation for 'Mobile Eccentric Droid,' a next-generation mobility robot platform that simultaneously secures mobility and stability. After first being unveiled as a concept model at CES 2022, it was reborn as a mass-production model at last year's International Robot Exhibition (iREX) in Japan following approximately 3 years of development. The core background of this award is that it evolved into a platform that can be actually utilized in industry and daily life beyond research demos.

Technically, MobED's greatest strength is driving stability that overcomes terrain constraints. By applying DnL (Drive-and-Lift) modules based on eccentric wheels, it can actively adjust vehicle body tilt even on bumpy roads or slopes. This enables stable movement in logistics, photography, and service settings where indoor and outdoor environments are mixed.

The design philosophy is also focused on 'the platform's essential role.' Based on restrained design, it is designed to simply combine various top modules depending on purpose such as delivery, logistics, and photography, enabling customized use for each industrial setting. User interfaces also emphasized intuitiveness. Through 3D graphic-based touchscreen controllers, even users without robot operation experience can operate relatively easily.

Mass-production MobED has compact dimensions of 74cm wide and 115cm long, maximum speed of 10km/h, and can drive for more than 4 hours on a single charge. Load weight is up to approximately 57kg depending on the model. The lineup consists of a Basic model for research and development, and an autonomous driving Pro model applying AI-based algorithms and LiDAR and camera fusion sensors. In particular, the Pro model is designed to enable autonomous driving even in complex indoor and outdoor environments, showing expandability as a commercial robot platform.

Hyundai Motor plans to start MobED mass production from Q1 2026 and begin full-scale sales. This means Hyundai Motor's robotics technology is crossing from the research stage to the business stage. The strategy of transforming robots from symbols of future technology to actual products used in customer and industrial settings has materialized.

Executive Director Hyun Dong-jin leading Hyundai Motor's Robotics Lab stated regarding this award that "MobED shows that robotics technology is evolving in the direction of enhancing everyday values," announcing plans to continuously sophisticate AI-based autonomous driving robot technology and develop it into innovative solutions closer to customers.

Visitors to the CES 2026 site can directly confirm technology explanations and real-time demonstrations of MobED at the Hyundai Motor Group exhibition hall. This Best of Innovation Award is evaluated as a clear signal showing that Hyundai Motor is elevating robotics to the core axis of its future mobility strategy rather than the periphery.