Hyundai Motor and Kia Launch 'Enable LA' Ridesharing Service for Mobility-Impaired in the U.S.

As Part of the Universal Mobility Research Project
Hyundai Palisade - Kia Telluride Deployed

[Asia Economy Reporter Yu Je-hoon] Hyundai Motor Company and Kia have embarked on developing new mobility services for global transportation-disadvantaged individuals.

On the 18th, Hyundai Motor and Kia announced the launch of 'Enable LA,' a pilot project for a wheelchair-accessible vehicle (WAV) car-hailing service aimed at improving mobility convenience for transportation-disadvantaged groups such as people with disabilities and the elderly.

This pilot project begins in Los Angeles (LA), California, USA. The service name Enable LA is derived from 'Enable,' meaning to make possible, and LA, the first demonstration area. Users who wish to use the service can request a vehicle via a mobile application or phone call, and a professional driver trained to assist transportation-disadvantaged individuals will operate a dedicated vehicle to pick them up and transport them to their destination.

To this end, Hyundai Motor and Kia have partnered with Butterfly (ButterFLi), a mobility platform for transportation-disadvantaged individuals based in LA, and fleet operator SMS. Hyundai Motor and Kia provide the vehicles, Butterfly offers the vehicle-hailing application, and SMS is responsible for hiring drivers and operating the vehicles for the service.

For this pilot project, Hyundai Motor and Kia modified the Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride. These vehicles comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), featuring increased interior height and additional safety devices. Stairs and ramps are installed at the rear of the vehicles to allow users in wheelchairs to safely enter the vehicle. Additionally, the interior is equipped with UV-free antibacterial lighting, and disposable masks, hand sanitizers, and disinfectant wipes are provided to ensure a hygienic and safe environment.

The Enable LA pilot project is the first demonstration under Hyundai Motor and Kia’s ongoing 'Universal Mobility' research initiative. Last year, Hyundai Motor showcased its human-centered mobility vision at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), revealing core values of ▲Vitalize ▲Enable ▲Care for creating dynamic, self-realizing, and inclusive cities. Based on the value of inclusive city creation, Hyundai Motor and Kia launched the Universal Mobility research project to ensure equal access for all, including transportation-disadvantaged individuals.

Starting with this pilot project, Hyundai Motor and Kia plan to communicate directly with transportation-disadvantaged users to listen to challenges in existing mobility services and identify improvements, thereby establishing the direction for Universal Mobility. In particular, as a vehicle manufacturer, they aim to derive improvements in vehicle and in-vehicle technology aspects and apply them to future vehicles and services to embrace diverse transportation-disadvantaged groups.

Jiyoung Jo, Head of Innovation at Hyundai Motor, stated, "The COVID-19 pandemic has likely made mobility more difficult for transportation-disadvantaged individuals worldwide. This Enable LA pilot project will serve as a solid foundation for Hyundai Motor Group to provide 'human-centered mobility services' that offer freedom of movement to everyone, including transportation-disadvantaged individuals."

Meanwhile, Hyundai Motor plans to share guidelines for transportation-disadvantaged mobility services and operational experiences based on the research results of this pilot project at the World Economic Forum (WEF) scheduled for January next year. The WEF is conducting the 'IQ Project,' which aims to improve the socioeconomic status of transportation-disadvantaged individuals through inclusive mobility solutions.

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