2014 Hyundai Elantra Limited on 2040-cars

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We check out Hyundai's HRL exoskeleton, a robotic mobility suit for paraplegics

Hyundai makes some of the largest vehicles in the world – to wit, 185,000-ton ships with 56-foot high engines making power at 84 rpm – but its R&D division has found enough human-factor synergy with autonomous vehicle development that they're now working on robotic exoskeletons. We were recently introduced to two of these devices: the HRL designed to increase mobility and therefore quality of life for paraplegics; and the WEX, designed to assist in repetitive-motion lifting. Both of these machines are powered by replaceable lithium-ion battery packs with a 4-hour run time and 40-minute recharges. The HRL robotic legs are designed for people 64 to 71 inches tall and less than 250 pounds. The aluminum segments are adjustable in centimeter increments over a 10-cm range, and the 22.4-inch width means it would fit in many long-haul aircraft forward seats. With the 4.4-lb battery pack, the HRL weighs about 41 pounds. There are six 50:1 reduction-gear actuators, two pelvic actuators rated at 224 pound-feet of peak torque with 60-degree range of motion, and two hip and knee with 112 lb-ft peak, 180 degrees and twice the rotational speed of the pelvic motors. Twenty sensors control it all with default speed of just under a mile per hour and a top speed of 1.5 mph, and step length can be adjusted by smartphone via Bluetooth. One of the accompanying crutches has four thumb buttons much like a video-game controller, though they're experimenting with simpler inputs including a joystick. The crutch communicates with the leg unit over a few feet of distance via Zigbee wireless protocol, with security layers added for both obvious reasons and to ensure two users in the same vicinity won't transmit to the other's unit. An HRL can help you sit, stand, walk or climb and descend stairs; it will also stand on its own, simplifying the process of putting it on. Your correspondent is outside the design height limits so rather than do any impromptu CG research we deferred to colleague Chris Davies of Slashgear for impressions wearing it: "It grips tightly, the support would be comforting, and it delivers good posture. It does take some getting used to – when it first lifts up a leg to move it forward you do feel like you're going to fall over – but once you establish a gait and stop over-thinking it becomes much easier." Indeed, he never fell over and most who tried established a rhythm within a few minutes, if not a 1.5-mph sprint.

Hyundai deferring car payments for furloughed federal workers

Since the US government shut down early this morning, more than 800,000 federal employees could be furloughed without pay until a deal is reached to start the government back up. To help affected employees cope with the temporary layoffs, Hyundai is expanding its Assurance program to defer all of their auto loan or lease payments until they're called back to work.
"We recognize the impact on family budgets that the furlough will drive," says John Krafcik, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor America. The automaker also says it will allow furloughed employees to buy new cars during October with help from a 90-day payment deferral.
We're sure Hyundai's act of goodwill relieves some of the stress that furloughed Hyundai owners and their families are experiencing. Check out the press release below.

2018 Hyundai Sonata First Drive | An infield home run

Baseball's boring. At least that's what anyone thinks who doesn't understand that it's an exciting game of inches. To wit, the same can be said for the crowded midsize family sedan segment. Unlike the all-new Toyota Camry and the upcoming 10th-generation Honda Accord, the Sonata is a refresh of the existing model. Hyundai is still in it, but can it improve sales in a segment being eaten alive by crossovers? At first glance, the most significant change to the new-look Sonata is the front end with a new cascading grille, which is longer and more contoured. This grille will make its way across all models as a major part of Hyundai's new corporate design language. Hyundai claims to be the only car company that manufactures its own steel, and this cascading design is inspired by the flow of molten steel as it's poured. With an elongated front end, new character lines on the hood and front bumper, and slimmer LED headlights, revisions give the entire car a more aggressive appearance and sportier stance. At the rear, moving the license plate from the trunk to the bumper was a good choice. It simplifies the back end, better showcasing the sheetmetal and allowing the trunk lid and redesigned taillights to take center stage. Turbo models will get a twin exhaust, increasing the sporty feel even more. Inside the Sonata, the facelifted center stack features a seven-inch touchscreen monitor (eight-inch on the Limited edition. The audio controls are more streamlined to give the entire unit a less bulky appearance, and a sporty, leather-wrapped three-spoke steering wheel complements other goodies such as leather seats. The biggest change in trim levels comes with the addition of the SEL model, just above the SE and Eco models, which includes even more features for about $1,600. Gone for 2018 is the six-speed transmission from the turbocharged 2.0-liter models, replaced by the all-new eight-speed that adds ratio range at both top and bottom. The power is unchanged at 245 horsepower, but remember that the BMW 330i's 2.0-liter turbo makes 248 hp, so Hyundai's engine is in the ballpark with those from established luxury brands. Even with that power, don't count on racy launches, as there's plenty of lag. Once the turbo is spooled up, the engine has moxie. We drove two trim levels, the Sport and the Limited 2.0T. The ride is plenty comfortable on the refined chassis and updated rear suspension, which includes an increase in trailing-arm thickness to stiffen the suspension.