Back in April, we came across a flashy and almost entirely CGI video of a bizarre concept for a rideable, four-legged robotic “horse.”
The video showed the mysterious concept, dubbed Corleo, roaming rocky terrain, leaping over icy crevasses, crossing snowy landscapes without losing its footing, and traversing a dark forest at night — all while carrying an adult rider on its back and being powered by a hydrogen power cell.
While the company behind the idea, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, showed off a full-scale model at an exposition at the time, promising a production-ready device by the far-off date of 2050, we had a lot of trouble believing Corleo was little more than pure vaporware.
But the company has now announced that it’s started to work on turning its ambitious vision into a reality, and decades ahead of schedule. As New Atlas reports, Kawasaki is setting up a dedicated “Safe Adventure Business Development Team,” with the aim of showing off a functioning prototype at the Expo 2030 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The company is hoping to put the unusual motorcycle on legs on sale by 2035, a lofty plan that still keeps the delivery way well in the future to avoid near-term embarrassment — we’re looking at you, Elon Musk!
According to a press release, Kawasaki is also developing a “riding simulator that enables riding experience of the four-legged mobility vehicle.”
Beyond targeting thrill seekers, the company also suggests that Corleo could be used to “eliminate mountain accidents and make mountainous regions safe and enjoyable for everyone.”
Sure, it may sound like a promising start — but there are plenty of reasons to remain skeptical. For one, achieving the kind of agility the company showed off in its original marketing video will likely remain an enormous engineering challenge.
What exactly a production-ready prototype will be able to do at the Expo 2030 — a mere four years from now — remains unclear as well.
On the other hand, we’ve seen the field of robotics make major leaps and bounds, with an onslaught of humanoid robots that can dance, kickbox, and even cook up an elaborate breakfast. Four-legged robots have similarly learned to effortlessly navigate rugged landscapes and even herd sheep.
In short, for now we’ll reserve judgment — but we’re nonetheless excited about the prospect of a robotic horse that we can ride into the sunset, not unlike Aloy, the protagonist of the popular video game series “Horizon.”
More on Corleo: Kawasaki Shows Off Concept for Rideable Horse Robot
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