Hyundai Mobis invests $25 million in UK-based Nvidia, jointly developing AR HUD

Investment in Infotainment Following Autonomous Driving and Electrification
Collaboration on AR HUD Optimized for Autonomous Driving... Targeting Mass Production in 2025

[Asia Economy Reporter Jihee Kim] Hyundai Mobis announced on the 7th that it will invest $25 million (approximately 30 billion KRW) in the UK-based augmented reality head-up display (AR HUD) company, Envisics, which is considered a core component of next-generation infotainment. AR HUD is a next-generation safety convenience device that projects real-time driving information onto the front windshield by matching it with the road ahead.

Envisics is a digital hologram optical technology startup founded in 2010 by Dr. Jamieson Christmas, a Cambridge University alumnus, utilizing proprietary technology from his alma mater. It is currently regarded as a global leader in AR HUD, and it is known to be the only company with mass production experience of hologram-based HUDs.

AR HUD can be implemented mainly through geometric optics or hologram methods. Geometric optics is the method applied to currently mass-produced HUDs, but to implement it as an AR HUD, a large space is required at the front of the vehicle, making it applicable mainly to large luxury sedans or electric vehicles. On the other hand, digital holograms provide a wider field of view through software alone without additional optical devices, representing a more advanced method. It can drastically reduce volume, making it an optimized technology for next-generation AR HUD implementation.

Envisics is known to have secured core technology optimized for level 3 or higher autonomous driving based on digital hologram technology. It has also solved the issues of latency and image quality degradation, which are drawbacks of existing digital hologram technology, through deep learning-based algorithms.

Hyundai Mobis plans to jointly develop an AR HUD optimized for autonomous driving with Envisics, targeting mass production in 2025. Based on next-generation AR HUD technology that enhances safety and convenience, it aims to target the global complete vehicle market.

This investment is particularly meaningful as it marks Hyundai Mobis's first foray into the infotainment sector after focusing large-scale R&D investments on autonomous driving and electrification. Leveraging its future vehicle investment experience related to autonomous driving (collaborations with Velodyne and Motional) and electrification (construction of plants in Chungju 2, Ulsan, and Pyeongtaek), the company intends to actively explore next-generation growth engines in infotainment, including connectivity.

Joseonghwan, Vice President and Head of Hyundai Mobis's Electronics BU, said, “AR HUD technology is an essential advanced assistance device for safe driving and can create synergy with autonomous driving technology, so it is expected to attract significant attention in the global premium market. We will continue to expand the electronics parts ecosystem through ongoing investments in global companies with diverse core technologies.”

Meanwhile, although AR HUD is currently in the early market formation stage, rapid growth is expected over the next decade. According to global market research firms such as IHS Markit, the head-up display market is projected to grow at an average annual rate of over 12% until 2025. Among this, the AR HUD market is expected to grow sharply from 1 million units in 2025 to 12 million units by 2030.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.