HYUNDAI

Hyundai Rotem HR-Sherpa: Hyundai's "fire truck" that doesn't breathe

Hyundai has developed and delivered to South Korean firefighters an autonomous vehicle designed to operate in areas where fire makes any access extremely risky. It is an unmanned robot capable of remotely extinguishing fires and venturing into environments difficult for a human team to access.

The new vehicle is based on the HR-Sherpa, an autonomous and multifunctional platform created by Hyundai Rotem. A specialized firefighting system has been installed on this platform, including a front water cannon, an automatic spraying system to protect the body, and an infrared camera that allows visibility through smoke and flames.

The unmanned firefighting robot, jointly developed by the National Fire Agency and Hyundai Motor Group, is designed to quickly extinguish fires in places that are difficult for firefighters to access directly due to heat and smoke. The National Fire Agency explained, "It began when Hyundai Motor Group announced its intention to jointly develop fire fighting equipment in August last year at a time when the need to supply fire fighting equipment to prevent the spread of large fires such as forest fires and logistics warehouse fires was raised."

The unmanned fire robot (vehicle type) to be introduced this time was developed to effectively respond to disasters in high-risk spaces such as underground parking lots. Based on the "Multipurpose Driverless Vehicle (HR-Sherpa)" developed by Hyundai Rotem, it is designed to strengthen waterproof and insulation performance to enable fire site input.

The unmanned firefighting robot reflected advanced functions such as remote control and autonomous driving, high-performance tarpaulin, advanced cameras that remove thick smoke, self-protective spray systems, and independent driving tires for high temperatures. From November this year, the National Fire Agency plans to deploy unmanned firefighting robots to four special rescue teams in the central 119 rescue headquarters.

In December last year, Hyundai Motor Group donated 250 EV Drill Lans, which was jointly developed with Tank Tech, to the National Fire Agency, as well as unmanned firefighting robots. Based on this, the fire department's ability to respond to electric vehicle fires has also been strengthened.

An official from the National Fire Agency said, "Unmanned firefighting robots are futuristic equipment that can overcome the limits of response at high-risk sites where it is difficult to put firefighting forces," adding, "This fair will allow us to share our achievements."

Remote driving...The robot has a remote control system that allows the operator to control all its movements and the water cannon from a safe position. Through a wireless connection, it receives real-time video, and a thermal camera facilitates locating the origin of the fire and detecting possible victims amidst the dense smoke.

One of the key elements is the self-protection system. The vehicle continuously sprays water around its structure, creating a curtain that reduces the direct impact of the flames. According to data provided by the company, it can maintain its internal temperature between 50 and 60 degrees Celsius, even in environments that reach 800 degrees Celsius.

Mobility is another of its strengths. It has independent traction on all six wheels and high-temperature resistant tires, allowing it to move through charred rubble and debris. As an electrified platform, it can operate in enclosed, smoke-filled spaces without emitting combustion gases.

The National Fire Agency recorded that 1,802 firefighters were injured or killed in the line of duty in the last decade. With this statistic in mind, the robot's development aims to reduce the direct exposure of firefighting teams during the initial, and often most unstable, stages of a fire.

Two of the four units are already in operation in the capital and the Yeongnam region, integrated into the 119th Special Unit. The other two will be allocated to the provincial fire stations of Gyeonggi and Chungnam. The National Fire Agency plans to use them in large-scale fires, in structures at risk of collapse, and in areas at risk of explosions or the presence of toxic gases.

The handover ceremony was held at the headquarters of the National Rescue Service 119 in Namyangju. There, the group's CEO, Euisun Chung, stated that the company will continue to provide technology to enable firefighters to work in a safer environment. He explained that the goal is for these robots to act as a first line of defense in critical situations, entering the most dangerous scenarios before human teams.

Hyundai also donated buses adapted as rest areas for firefighters and plans to provide ambulances and medical equipment for the country's first National Firefighter Hospital, scheduled to open in June.

by Autonews