Always on the lookout for cool STEM experiences, we jumped at the chance to experience the Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Centre Singapore’s (HMGICS) newest offering – its SPOT Robot Coding Workshop for children aged 6 to 12 years.
We embarked on the workshop fresh off the back of our recent visit to the HMGICS’ free Discovery Tour.
Together, the 90-minute tour, and the 90-minute workshop made for a thoroughly educational afternoon out and a worthwhile trip out to the lesser-known Jurong Innovation District.
SPOT Robot Coding Workshop: Start Off with a VR Factory Tour
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The VR Factory Tour is ordinarily part of the Discovery Tour itinerary. However, fear not if you don’t manage to get a booking for the tour, because the VR Factory Tour launches off the SPOT Robot Coding Workshop as well, setting the context for the coding project to come.
We were greeted by a cheery guide who organised and led the young coders straight through to a roomful of comfortable chairs for a unique experience which culminated in a cool surprise (not telling!).
Children (and interested parents) strapped on a VR headset to interactively experience how the IONIQ Electric Vehicles are assembled on the factory floor located in the same building as the Innovation Centre.
Notably, participants were introduced to the various robots in use on the factory floor, including SPOT® the canine-like Agile Mobile Robot made by Boston Dynamics, which is used in the Hyundai factory for quality inspection.
Owing to sensitive nature of the factory operations, photography and videography were unfortunately not allowed for this portion of the workshop.
Build, Code & Explore
At the conclusion of the 20-minute VR tour, the coders were whisked upstairs to a bright and airy studio, with a stellar view of the 620 m long rooftop Skytrack used by Hyundai to test cars prior to customer delivery.
There they couldn’t wait to get going with inviting set-ups that had been laid out for the coders, including a mini-SPOT for each!
The coders were given 15 minutes to design and customise their mini-SPOT with LEGO pieces, with some inspiration shots provided. It was fascinating to see the range of different mini-SPOTs that emerged among the children.
Before the class progressed to the coding proper though, there was another surprise in store for the coders – the appearance of SPOT® the Agile Mobile Robot himself, direct from the factory floor!
Lapping the studio to the “oohs” and “ahs” of the children, SPOT availed himself for a photo op with the coders and their customised mini-SPOTs.
After the excitement over that appearance had subsided, the coders were led step-by-step through coding simple instructions on a tablet, using LEGO Education SPIKE, to get their mini-SPOTs to move, and then to stop at a red stop sign.
The workshop concluded with coders being shown the various ways in which their mini-SPOTs could be put to task in Hyundai’s car-making operations, from logistics to assembly to testing and delivery.
Truth be told, the automated miniature brick mock-ups of Hyundai’s operations that were used in the demonstration were what truly captured my 9-year-old’s imagination during this workshop – we were told they had been specially made back in Hyundai Korea.
Of Factories, Robots and Codes
The SPOT Robot Coding has been designed in consultation with pedagogy specialists and is conducted inhouse by HMGICS staff.
Class size is capped at eight coders per session, and during our visit we noted one instructor to two coders, so there was plenty of engagement of, and help for coders who got stuck on anything.
The actual coding instruction was basic, accessible to complete beginners and probably more suitable for younger (6-10 year-old) coders.
But the entire experience, from the VR Factory Tour, to meeting SPOT® up close and understanding how Hyundai deploys SPOT® is plenty educational even for upper primary students.
And alas – before you ask – no, mini-SPOT doesn’t get to go home with you. But each coder was presented with a polaroid of themselves with SPOT® as a memento.
Parents have the option of dropping their children off at the workshop or sitting in to observe.
The staff café on the 5th floor of the facility provides some basic refreshment from vending machines, and a place to hang out while waiting. Unless, of course, you are so lucky to have bagged a reservation at the onsite Korean fine-dining restaurant NAOH – and we hear those are pretty hard to come by!
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SPOT Robot Coding Workshop At Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Centre Singapore
The SPOT Robot Coding Workshop is the second workshop being offered by HMGICS for the public, the other being the Smart Food Lab Workshop for the younger (3 to 6 year old) crowd.
The SPOT Robot Coding Workshop will be launched on 13 September 2025, and will run on weekends, twice a day at 10am and 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
A fee of $25 is chargeable, with all proceeds being donated to the President’s Challenge.
Book your spot at the SPOT Robot Coding workshop.
If you enjoyed this story, we think that you will also enjoy our story about the HMGICS’ free Discovery Tour.
