South Korean auto maker Hyundai has equipped its flagship electric and hybrid model – the IONIQ – with a self-driving system capable of delivering Level 4 autonomous driving on European roads.
The goal of the autonomous IONIQ research vehicle is to keep self-driving systems as simple as possible by using the production car’s forward-facing radar, blind-spot detection radars and its lane-assist camera and integrating them with lidar technology.
Hyundai has already begun the development of Level 4 autonomous technologies in the C-segment and has formed a partnership with AV developer Aurora. This move will strengthen the strategic partnership formed between the companies in 2018, under which Hyundai, Kia and Aurora have been collaborating on Hyundai’s flagship fuel cell vehicle, NEXO. With the new investment, the companies have agreed to expand research to a wide range of models and to build an optimal platform for Hyundai and Kia’s autonomous vehicles.
Andreas-Christoph Hofmann, vice president marketing and product at Hyundai Motor Europe, said, “With the Level 4 Autonomous IONIQ research vehicle, we are already thinking one step ahead by looking at how the car industry, technology and infrastructure have to change in order to be fit for future mobility. Hyundai will continue to invest in autonomous driving technologies to speed up their development.”