Why Apple Selected Hyundai Motor as a Potential Partner

High Praise for Electrification and Mass Production Technology
Hyundai Motor Group Ranks 4th in Global Electric Vehicle Market...Proving Competitiveness
Expectations for Expanded Cooperation from Autonomous Vehicles to Batteries

[Asia Economy Reporter Suyeon Woo] The reason Apple included Hyundai Motor Company among its candidate partners for the launch of a self-driving electric vehicle appears to be its high evaluation of Hyundai Motor Group's electric vehicle development and mass production technologies. Hyundai Motor Group has already proven its competitiveness among top-tier manufacturers, ranking 4th in global electric vehicle sales.

Recently, news of Apple's push for a self-driving electric vehicle project has caused tension not only in the finished car industry but also in the automotive electronics sector. In particular, autonomous vehicles can be seen as a culmination of ICT technologies such as semiconductors, various electronic sensors, and connected technologies. Industry insiders believe that if Apple, a strong player in ICT technology with powerful brand power, enters the self-driving electric vehicle business as a latecomer, it is highly likely to quickly emerge as a top competitor.

However, autonomous vehicles are not completed by ICT technology alone. Due to the nature of the automotive industry, engineering technology to move the vehicle must also be supported, and production infrastructure for mass production is essential. At the same time, the establishment of a large-scale parts ecosystem linked to this is required.

Therefore, even if Apple develops a self-driving electric vehicle, cooperation with global automakers and parts companies is crucial in terms of mass production and manufacturing technology. According to an industry insider familiar with the matter, this cooperation proposal was reportedly initiated by Apple.

Apple logo image/Photo by Yonhap News

The industry expects that if this cooperation agreement is finalized, collaboration between the two companies will expand not only in finished vehicles but also in the field of electric vehicle battery development. Last month, Hyundai Motor announced plans to independently develop solid-state batteries through its ‘Investor Day,’ and Apple also revealed a blueprint to reduce battery costs by utilizing its proprietary battery cell manufacturing technology.

Apple has been pursuing automobile development under the project name ‘Titan’ since 2014. In 2018, it recruited engineers from Tesla, but in 2019, the automotive project seemed to stall as the development team underwent restructuring.

However, as electric vehicles have recently gained attention as a global new business, Apple is reigniting its electric vehicle project. Apple aims to launch a self-driving electric vehicle in 2024, innovatively reduce battery costs using a battery manufacturing technology called ‘Monocell,’ and complete a new concept autonomous vehicle through LiDAR technology development.

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