Check out this first-of-a-kind vehicle delivery, involving a Kia Sonet, which was taken by a Humanoid Robot
Kia Sonet was launched in India just a few months ago, and it has already become one of the most popular sub-4-metre SUVs in our market. In fact, it was the best-selling vehicle in Kia’s lineup last month! The vehicle offers a lot of segment-first features, along with a host of powertrain and transmission options, which makes it an extremely versatile vehicle.
While the vehicle itself is making a lot of headlines with its sales numbers, a few dealerships have been stepping into the limelight as well, courtesy some unique vehicle deliveries. Recently, we covered an Avengers-themed delivery of the Sonet, and now, we’ve come across something that’s even more unique and interesting!
Incheon Kia, a Kerala-based Kia dealership, delivered a Sonet to their customer, but instead of the owner taking delivery himself, it was accepted by a humanoid robot! The owner of this particular Sonet is Mr Jayakrishnan, CEO of Asimov Robotics (based in Kochi, Kerala), and the robot is called Sayabot.
The video above, shared by Automotive World on YouTube, shows the Sayabot actively participating in the delivery celebration. It also answered a few questions asked about the car! The exercise demonstrates how useful AI and robots can be in vehicle showrooms, especially during these times of social distancing.
Kia Sonet is available in India with three engine options – a 1.2-litre petrol, a 1.5-litre turbo-diesel, and a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol. The 1.2L petrol motor is a naturally aspirated, inline-4 unit, which can generate 83 PS and 115 Nm of peak power and torque, respectively. It comes mated to a 5-speed manual transmission only.
The 1.5L diesel is a turbocharged, inline-4 unit, available in two states of tune. In the lower tune, it develops 100 PS and 240 Nm, and comes paired to a 6-speed manual transmission. In the higher tune, it belts out 115 PS and 250 Nm, and has a 6-speed automatic gearbox on offer. Lastly, the 1.0L petrol mill is a turbocharged, inline-3 motor, which pushes out 120 PS and 172 Nm. Transmission options here include a 6-speed iMT and a 7-speed DCT.