A car released by Motional, a self-driving joint venture between Hyundai Motor and Aptive.

Hyundai Motor Group is accelerating efforts to develop a self-driving car to secure an upper hand in the future mobility market. A joint venture between Hyundai Motor Group and self-driving technology developer Aptive, was renamed “Motional.”

The goal of Motional will be to combine Hyundai Motor Group’s strengths – design, engineering and vehicle manufacturing – and Aptiv’s autonomous driving expertise to commercialize a SAE (Society of Autonomous Engineers) Level 4 and 5 self-driving platform.

Hyundai Motor Group Executive Vice Chairman Chung Eui-sun said, “Hyundai Motor Group has made efforts to realize humanity’s dream for more than half century.” Motional will be a company representing the exploration of a next-generation innovation area as a safe, economical and eco-friendly mobility means, he said.

“Hyundai Motor Group has been writing a history of advanced automobile technology, and we hope to push ahead with the inheritance with Motional,” he added.

Motional, established in March, boasts the world’s top-level technology expertise in the autonomous car sector. In particular, the gem of Motional’s competitiveness is self-driving car technology pioneers with the joint venture.

The talented engineers participated in the Grand Challenge, a self-driving technology competition race hosted by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and they established startups NuTonomy and Automiticar which have been active from an early self-driving stage.

Hyundai Motor Group’s design, development and manufacturing capabilities are predicted to advance the commercialization of autonomous vehicles. In particular, the automaker’s ample financial resources are expected to support the advance of self-driving technology.

Hyundai Motor plans to release three kinds of EVs under the unified EV brand “IONIQ.” (Photos: Hyundai Motor)

Hyundai Motor Launches Next-Generation EV Brand ‘IONIQ’

Hyundai Motor Company announced on Aug. 10 the launch of its new IONIQ brand dedicated to battery electric vehicles, opening a new chapter as a leader in the era of electrified mobility. Under the IONIQ brand, Hyundai will offer customer centric EV experiences centered on connected lifestyle solutions in line with Hyundai’s vision of ‘Progress for Humanity’.

Under the IONIQ brand, Hyundai Motor will leverage its industry-leading manufacturing know-how in EVs to introduce three new dedicated models over the next four years with more innovative models to follow.

The creation of IONIQ brand is in response to fast-growing market demand and accelerates Hyundai’s plan to lead the global EV market.

To fulfill IONIQ’s brand mission, Hyundai will combine its current EV capabilities – such as ultra-fast charging, spacious interior, and battery-supplied power – with future innovations that combine design, technologies and services to integrate in-car and out-of-car experiences for a seamless journey.

“The IONIQ brand will change the paradigm of EV customer experience,” said Wonhong Cho, Executive Vice President and Global Chief Marketing Officer at Hyundai Motor Company. “With a new emphasis on connected living, we will offer electrified experiences integral to an eco-friendly lifestyle.”