Safeway Wins CES 2026 Innovation Award, Sets New Standard for Advanced Mobility
Safeway Wins CES 2026 Innovation Award, Sets New Standard for Advanced Mobility
Posted December. 31, 2025 09:35,
- Safeway, a wearable robot specialist, won the CES 2026 Innovation Award for its advanced mobility platform "Ascender," which features AI-based adaptive elastic wheel technology that enables robots to navigate both flat and uneven terrain efficiently.
- The company is targeting markets such as outdoor service robots, electric wheelchairs, and personal mobility devices, and is collaborating with partners like Korea Expressway Corporation, WHILL, and Stanford University to expand its applications and global reach.
- SBA supports Safeway and other innovative startups through initiatives like the "Seoul Pavilion" at CES, aiming to boost global expansion and showcase Seoul's startup ecosystem.
Safeway, a wearable robot specialist, has been named an honoree at the CES 2026 Innovation Awards in the Advanced Mobility category.
CES, the world’s premier consumer technology exhibition, is scheduled to run for four days from January 6 to 9 in Las Vegas. The Seoul Business Agency (SBA) has established the "Seoul Pavilion" within the CES startup exhibition area to support domestic startups that have achieved significant technological innovation. As a selected participant of the Seoul Pavilion, Safeway will unveil its next-generation mobility platform, the "Ascender," at CES 2026.
Safeway’s Ascender is distinguished by its AI-based adaptive elastic wheel technology. This innovation allows the robot to autonomously navigate steps, uneven terrain, and rough ground while maintaining stability and speed on flat surfaces. It successfully resolves the traditional engineering trade-off between "high-speed driving on flat terrain" and "obstacle negotiation performance," a feat previously difficult to achieve simultaneously. Consequently, Safeway is proposing a new mobility standard not only for outdoor autonomous robots but also for assistive robots for the mobility-impaired and lifestyle support robots.
The primary target markets for the Ascender include outdoor service robots, electric wheelchairs, and personal mobility devices. Safeway is currently engaged in joint development with the Korea Expressway Corporation, aiming to supply 550 traffic signal robots (Signal Bots).
Furthermore, the company is conducting a Proof of Concept (PoC) with WHILL, a leading global electric wheelchair manufacturer, to apply the Ascender module to their products. Safeway is also accelerating its global market expansion through collaboration with Stanford University, participating in the enhancement of the "TidyBot" (a household support robot) to improve its ability to traverse door thresholds and bathroom ledges.
Hyun-woo Kimgksrnr, CEO of the SBA, stated, "Seoul is proving the innovation and potential of its startup ecosystem in the global market by producing numerous Innovation Award winners every year. The SBA will continue to enhance the global expansion achievements of startups through various support projects and build a sophisticated 'Seoul-style' startup ecosystem."
By Kui-im Park (luckyim@itdonga.com)
- The company is targeting markets such as outdoor service robots, electric wheelchairs, and personal mobility devices, and is collaborating with partners like Korea Expressway Corporation, WHILL, and Stanford University to expand its applications and global reach.
- SBA supports Safeway and other innovative startups through initiatives like the "Seoul Pavilion" at CES, aiming to boost global expansion and showcase Seoul's startup ecosystem.
Safeway, a wearable robot specialist, has been named an honoree at the CES 2026 Innovation Awards in the Advanced Mobility category.
Safeway Wins CES 2026 Innovation Award, Sets New Standard for Advanced Mobility / source=Safeway
CES, the world’s premier consumer technology exhibition, is scheduled to run for four days from January 6 to 9 in Las Vegas. The Seoul Business Agency (SBA) has established the "Seoul Pavilion" within the CES startup exhibition area to support domestic startups that have achieved significant technological innovation. As a selected participant of the Seoul Pavilion, Safeway will unveil its next-generation mobility platform, the "Ascender," at CES 2026.
Safeway’s Ascender is distinguished by its AI-based adaptive elastic wheel technology. This innovation allows the robot to autonomously navigate steps, uneven terrain, and rough ground while maintaining stability and speed on flat surfaces. It successfully resolves the traditional engineering trade-off between "high-speed driving on flat terrain" and "obstacle negotiation performance," a feat previously difficult to achieve simultaneously. Consequently, Safeway is proposing a new mobility standard not only for outdoor autonomous robots but also for assistive robots for the mobility-impaired and lifestyle support robots.
The primary target markets for the Ascender include outdoor service robots, electric wheelchairs, and personal mobility devices. Safeway is currently engaged in joint development with the Korea Expressway Corporation, aiming to supply 550 traffic signal robots (Signal Bots).
Furthermore, the company is conducting a Proof of Concept (PoC) with WHILL, a leading global electric wheelchair manufacturer, to apply the Ascender module to their products. Safeway is also accelerating its global market expansion through collaboration with Stanford University, participating in the enhancement of the "TidyBot" (a household support robot) to improve its ability to traverse door thresholds and bathroom ledges.
Hyun-woo Kimgksrnr, CEO of the SBA, stated, "Seoul is proving the innovation and potential of its startup ecosystem in the global market by producing numerous Innovation Award winners every year. The SBA will continue to enhance the global expansion achievements of startups through various support projects and build a sophisticated 'Seoul-style' startup ecosystem."
By Kui-im Park (luckyim@itdonga.com)
About Dong-A Ilbo