Hyundai and Apple Develop 'Steerless Cars'... Is the Autonomous Driving 'Spring and Autumn Period' Beginning?

Competition Among Companies Over 'Fully Autonomous Driving' Development
No Need for Drivers to Hold the Steering Wheel... Steering Wheel and Pedals Removed
Still Expected Challenges Until Actual Commercialization
Tesla FSD Also Struggles with Safety Issues

Hyundai Motor Company unveiled the concept car 'Seven' on the 17th (local time) at the Los Angeles (LA) Convention Center in the United States / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Following traditional automobile manufacturers, IT companies are also unveiling blueprints for 'steering wheel-less cars,' drawing public attention. This indirectly reveals their ambition to develop vehicles that can reach destinations solely through autonomous driving functions without a driver. In fact, it signals the dawn of the 'Warring States period' of autonomous vehicles.

◆"A New Horizon for Automobiles" Hyundai's 'SEVEN' Equipped with Control Stick Instead of Steering Wheel

On the 17th (local time), Hyundai Motor Company unveiled the electric sports utility vehicle (SUV) concept car 'SEVEN' at the Los Angeles (LA) Convention Center in the United States.

SEVEN is a model presenting Hyundai's vision for large electric SUVs, characterized by a lowered hood compared to conventional vehicles, a curved silhouette extending to the roof, and a long wheelbase.

However, what captured the audience's attention at the event was none other than the 'steering wheel-less front seat.' Instead of a steering wheel, the driver's seat of SEVEN is equipped with an electronic gear shifter called a 'control stick' that rises only when needed.

This design considers the commercialization of Level 4 autonomous driving (driverless autonomous driving) technology, where the vehicle moves to the destination on its own even when hands are off the steering wheel. Regarding this, Lee Sang-yeop, Executive Vice President of Hyundai's design division, emphasized, "SEVEN offers an interior space considerate of passengers" and "will open a new horizon as a living space for families."

◆Apple Also Challenges 'Autonomous Vehicle' Development... Scheduled for Release in 2025

Hyundai is not the only one to unveil a vehicle concept without a steering wheel. Apple, the IT company that manufactures the iPhone, has also entered the 'autonomous vehicle' competition.

According to the U.S. financial media 'Bloomberg' on the 18th, Apple is accelerating the development of electric vehicles focused on full autonomy. Apple has been secretly pursuing the so-called 'Apple Car' project since 2014 and recently operated a special project team called 'Project Titan.'

Apple Car concept image posted on the Apple rumor collection site 'MacRumors' / Photo by MacRumors, screenshot from the website

According to Bloomberg, Apple has made significant progress in designing semiconductors to operate the autonomous driving functions of the Apple Car and plans to remove the steering wheel and pedals from the interior. An interior layout where passengers sit facing each other on seats along both sides of the car, similar to a limousine, is also being considered. The release of the fully autonomous Apple Car is expected in 2025.

◆Autonomous Driving Development Battlefield... Safety Issues Still Challenging

From established automobile manufacturers to IT companies, numerous firms are challenging the development of autonomous vehicles. Truly, the autonomous driving Warring States period has begun.

However, developing a 'fully autonomous vehicle' that can safely operate without a steering wheel still faces many difficulties. Tesla, which is currently leading the commercialization of autonomous driving technology, is also struggling with safety issues.

Tesla is distributing its autonomous driving feature, 'Full Self Driving (FSD),' to some customers on a limited basis. In September, the 10th version of the FSD beta service was updated.

FSD is a comprehensive autonomous driving feature that includes autopilot functions such as automatic lane changing, automatic parking, and vehicle summon. Tesla has invested huge amounts over several years to develop FSD and has even developed 'Dojo,' a supercomputer dedicated solely to AI operation for autonomous driving.

An autonomous driving AI of a Tesla vehicle mistook the full moon in the sky for a "yellow light" in an unusual incident. / Photo by Twitter capture

Despite these efforts, many still question the safety of FSD. The AI sometimes misidentifies surrounding objects as different items.

For example, in July, an FSD software was shown mistaking the full moon in the evening sky for a yellow traffic light and attempting to slow down, which drew ridicule from netizens. Additionally, incidents where FSD drove toward parked cars, bushes, and trees have sparked controversy.

The U.S. federal independent agency, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), sent a letter to Tesla CEO Elon Musk last month, urging design changes and problem resolution, stating that Tesla provided the FSD service to consumers before fixing defects within the system.

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