Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On February 5, 2025, Chinese 3D vision mobile robotics brand VMR officially launched its new automotive smart charging robot. Integrating multi-dimensional sensing, autonomous localization, path planning, dynamic decision-making, and self-learning capabilities, the robot is designed to address key challenges in new energy vehicle (NEV) charging infrastructure field and deliver a more convenient, efficient charging experience for car owners.
In recent years, the explosive growth of the NEV market has dramatically increased the demand for charging facilities. However, traditional fixed charging solutions have struggled with issues such as insufficient charging piles, high failure rates, and parking occupancy problems, all of which inconvenience users. To overcome these hurdles, VMR has introduced this innovative smart charging robot.
Marketed as the "Smart Charging Robot (+ Mobile Charging Power Bank)," the device comes in dual units, each weighing 250 kg, with dimensions of 730 mm (L) × 550 mm (W) × 1,350 mm (H) and an arm span of 886 mm. Employing visual navigation, the robot is equipped with 3D obstacle avoidance and grasping capabilities that enable it to autonomously locate vehicles and initiate the charging process.
Car owners can simply place an order via the charging app on their smartphones. Within approximately one second, the system dispatches the charging robot to the parking spot. Fitted with a navigation camera, the robot collects real-time environmental data from indoor parking areas, converting these into point cloud maps to accurately identify parking locations.
Advanced path algorithms then swiftly guide the robot to the specific vehicle. During charging, a high-precision dual-camera RGB-D multimodal system—achieving an identification accuracy of ±0.1 mm at 350 mm—ensures the charging gun is precisely grasped and connected to the vehicle’s charging port, all without any human intervention.
Additionally, the robot is equipped with a 3D vision obstacle avoidance camera and built-in semantic recognition algorithms to detect and bypass obstacles such as vehicles and pedestrians in real time. It also features a fault detection system; if the mobile charging power bank malfunctions, the system is alerted and automatically recalls the unit for replacement.
In terms of deployment, the VMR smart charging robot occupies minimal space and can move rapidly, making it adaptable for modern parking lots as well as older residential areas—thus avoiding the complications associated with wiring and spatial planning.
