Bringing autonomous Hyundai vehicles to market by 2021 is the aim of a new partnership between the car maker and self-driving technology specialist Aurora. The custom-developed vehicles will be deployed in test programmes and pilot cities. The two companies hope to commercialise autonomous vehicles worldwide. Work will first focus on the development of the hardware, software and back-end data services necessary for Level 4 automation whereby vehicles can operate in certain conditions without human input or oversight.
“We know the future of transportation is autonomous, and autonomous driving technology needs to be proven in the real world to accelerate deployment in a safe and scalable manner,” said Dr Woong Chul Yang, vice chairman of Hyundai Motor. “Combining our advanced vehicle technology that embeds the latest safety features with Aurora’s leading suite of Level 4 autonomous technology will advance this revolution in mobility with Hyundai in a leadership position.”
“Aurora is excited to partner with Hyundai Motor to make the social benefits of self-driving available globally,” said Dr Chris Urmson, CEO of Aurora. “This partnership combines Hyundai’s strengths in vehicle design, safety and manufacturing with Aurora’s expertise in self-driving technologies to make a positive difference in the world.”
Hyundai commenced autonomous vehicle testing on public roads in 2015, in the USA. The company’s latest fuel cell vehicle will be the first model to enter the test programme, this year. Hyundai says the fuel cell powertrain is ideal for autonomous driving technologies, as a lot of power is needed to support data communication and the operation of hardware.