If Apple wants to make a really rad vehicle, look at Hyundai’s Elevate prototype

I’m still dubious that Apple will release an automobile it makes itself. But if it does how about a Transformer-type vehicle. After all, Hyundai just debuted a small model of a car, the Elevate, that can activate robotic legs to climb walls, jump over gaps and navigate rough terrain.

Designed with emergency responders in mind, it can activate robotic legs to walk at three mph over rough terrain. Considering the traffic jams in Nashville, TN (where I live) and the potholes, it sounds perfect for me.

The Elevate is also able to climb a five-foot wall and jump a five-foot gap. It’s part of a project exploring “beyond the range of wheels” that Hyundai unveiled at this week’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

“When a tsunami or earthquake hits, current rescue vehicles can only deliver first responders to the edge of the debris field. They have to go the rest of the way by foot,” said Hyundai vice-president John Suh. “Elevate can drive to the scene and climb right over flood debris or crumbled concrete.”