Hyundai Mobis, a leading auto parts supplier and affiliate of the Hyundai Motor Group, has announced a significant new test of its fully autonomous driving technology in South Korea. The company will conduct test rides in Incheon, a city with a population of 3 million located near Seoul.
The test, conducted in collaboration with the Incheon Free Economic Zone and Incheon Technopark, will involve a test vehicle equipped with Level 4 automation, as defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers. This autonomous vehicle, based on a Hyundai Ioniq 5, will operate in an area spanning 37.3 miles in the Songdo and Yeongjongdo parts of the city over the first half of 2025. The project involves 20 partners, including research institutes, universities, and start-ups.
We’re collecting crucial data to forge the future of autonomous driving by testing a level 4 self-driving demo vehicle in Incheon Metropolitan City, Korea.
As a collaborative outcome with domestic software developers, the level 4 test vehicle is set to drive throughout 60km of… pic.twitter.com/rCroSxKi17
— Hyundai Mobis Global (@global_mobis) April 16, 2024
Hyundai Mobis’ autonomous vehicle features a high-performance processor instead of microcontrollers, reducing the number of parts and including redundancy systems. The urban environment of Incheon provides a complex test for the company’s autonomous driving software, as it must navigate increased traffic and recognize street furniture such as signs and traffic lights.
This test program is crucial for Hyundai Mobis as it aims to commercialize and mass-produce its autonomous driving technology. The company has showcased several innovations in recent years, including the Mobis Parking Solution with a Memory Parking Assist feature, and the “crab-walking” Mobion concept car based on the Hyundai Ioniq 5, featuring the e-Corner system for individual wheel control.
Hyundai Mobis’ advancements in autonomous technology align with the broader efforts of the Hyundai Motor Group, which recently demonstrated its self-driving Ioniq 5’s ability to earn a driver’s license in Nevada. The company plans to manufacture production versions of autonomous vehicles, in partnership with Motional, at a facility in Singapore.
The Mobion concept car will be presented at the 37th World Electric Vehicle Symposium and Exhibition (EVS37) in Seoul later this month, following its unveiling at CES in January.
