IROS 2016 – Tae Won Lim – Driving together, Robot and Automobile

Recently, there is an increased interest towards advanced technologies in the automotive industry such as autonomous driving and connectivity. There is a sharp increase in the investment in the related technologies. The future mobility will be based on eco-friendly, high-efficiency and high-safety features. Furthermore, conventional powertrain systems based on combustion engines are expected to be rapidly co-utilized or replaced with various kinds of electrical powertrain systems. Modern vehicles are integrated with advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, environmental perceptibility and V2X communication. In their implementation and usage, these technologies are very similar to those used in the robotics field. Therefore, it is no longer needed to differentiate between automotive engineering and robotics. We are living in the world where the words ‘robotics’ and ‘automotive engineering’ are becoming synonyms. Automotive engineering is well-positioned to provide insights on advanced technology it accumulates from mass-produced vehicles. This is a unique advantage of automotive industry in contributing to the robotics research for human-beings. Therefore, it is necessary to synthesize robotics and automotive engineering in order to share their technological benefits for improving overall human society.