COVID-19 pandemic is still far from over and social distancing is pretty much the health protocol to be followed. In wake of this new normal and need to enhance the user experience in showrooms, Hyundai Motor Group has built the DAL-e an AI-powered robot, that’s an acronym for “Drive you, Assist you, Link with you-experience.” The four-foot-tall robot boasts facial recognition technology, omnidirectional movement, and an advanced communication system with language comprehension to interact with customers in a way that’s welcoming and intuitive. If you also believe it looks so similar to the loner WALL-E robot, then you’re not alone – it does look inspired by the cute robot and the name also seems eerily similar.

To kick-off things, DAL-e debuted yesterday in Hyundai Motor Showroom in southern Seoul for a pilot run, post which, the AI robot will be employed in more Hyundai and Kia showrooms if it all goes as planned and the robot keep learning the tricks of the trade, so to speak. For now, the cute robot escorts the customers to the intended spots and its facial recognition tech enables it to recognize a customer not wearing a mask, and advise them to wear one. The combination of the emotive physical features and the prompt dialogue delivery makes DAL-e a very welcoming assistant for people who visit the showroom. As the intelligent robot guides you through the showroom thanks to its omnidirectional movement capability, you can also get more insight about the products from the touchscreen display on top of its head. The robot can also wirelessly connect to the large display at the showroom to display detailed information about the products. It can even move its arms to emphasize a point or make welcoming gestures. To add to the human element DAL-e has quite a few tricks up its sleeve. For example, it can even ask visitors to take selfies with it.

According to Dong Jin Hyun, Vice President and Head of the Robotics Lab at Hyundai Motor Group, DAL-e will “provide fresh, pleasant experiences to our valued customers in a contact-free environment,” with the software updates and AI learning algorithm. “Our objective is to enable the DAL-e to engage in a smooth and entertaining communication with customers and present valuable services to them.” To this end, the AI robot seems like a valued proposition to enhance the whole experience of buying a car.

Designer: Hyundai