[CES2022] Hyundai Mobis "Will Emerge as a Leading Mobility Platform Company"

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] Hyundai Mobis, which received acclaim for showcasing next-generation mobility technology at CES2022, the world's largest home appliance and IT exhibition, plans to transform from a traditional parts supplier into a leading mobility platform company integrating software and hardware.

Seung-cheon Cheon, Executive Director and Head of Hyundai Mobis Research and Development (R&D), emphasized at a press briefing held on the 6th (local time) at the Hyundai Mobis CES booth in the Las Vegas Convention Center, "Hyundai Mobis plans to strengthen its services by integrating software with its existing mechanical strengths."

He specifically mentioned focusing on creating a software ecosystem, increasing workforce, and enhancing employee training. As of last year, Hyundai Mobis had a total of 5,984 R&D personnel.

Regarding which software Hyundai Mobis plans to strengthen, Executive Director Cheon said, "This is like a competition between automakers and IT companies," adding, "Some people want cars, while others want mobility services. It will be decided accordingly."

Recently, Hyundai Mobis has entered the autonomous driving field by making a strategic investment in Velodyne, the world's leading LiDAR company, and developing Level 4 autonomous robot taxis in collaboration with Russian IT company Yandex.

Executive Director Cheon also revealed that Hyundai Mobis's parking-related controller will be installed in the Genesis G90, Hyundai Motor's first Level 3 autonomous vehicle, scheduled for release in the second half of this year. He added, "In addition to the Genesis G90, autonomous driving collaboration with Hyundai Motor is continuously planned, and we aim to identify and secure what is required in the global market."

In response to criticism that investment value in the LiDAR field, which detects surrounding objects and distances using light, is declining, he explained, "As seen at CES, LiDAR companies operated large-scale booths. Although there were shortcomings in price and long-distance capabilities, there have been many advancements, giving a sense of approaching commercialization."

The e-corner module, which Hyundai Mobis successfully developed ahead of time and showcased at CES, is a technology that integrates steering, braking, suspension, and driving systems into a single wheel, enabling crab driving (sideways movement) and 360-degree on-the-spot rotation. This module has been installed in both the M.Vision Pop and M.Vision ToGo.

Executive Director Cheon said about the two mobility vehicles, "They are being developed for purpose-built mobility (PBV)," adding, "Our goal is low-speed urban driving for PBVs, and we expect to see actual car-shaped prototypes within the next five years."

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