Hyundai Motor and Kia Form Government Consultative Body to Develop Lunar Surface Exploration Mobility

Agreement Signed with Six Government-Funded Research Institutes in the Aviation and Aerospace Sectors

[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] Hyundai Motor Company and Kia announced on the 27th that they have signed a joint research agreement with six domestic government-funded research institutes possessing aerospace capabilities to develop lunar surface exploration mobility and have formed a consultative body.

The agreement includes participation from Hyundai Motor Company, Kia, Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute, Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology, Korea Aerospace Research Institute, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, and Korea Automotive Technology Institute.

The consultative body will develop the technologies required for lunar exploration mobility and also review specific strategies and measures for operating the mobility on the moon. To this end, Hyundai Motor Company and Kia have assembled key personnel in software and hardware design, space environment response, and special equipment fields, including the Robotics Lab responsible for robot development, to form the consultative body.

Hyundai Motor Company and Kia plan to begin full-scale joint research with the affiliated research institutes of the consultative body as early as next month.

Hyundai Motor Group stated that this agreement is significant in that it mobilizes the capabilities of government-funded research institutes and companies for the advancement of South Korea's space technology and integrates technologies in related fields.

This is because successful mission execution of lunar surface exploration mobility requires not only the development of the mobility body but also technologies such as scientific exploration equipment mounted on the mobility, software for operation, and space communication functions.

A Hyundai Motor Company and Kia official said, "This marks the first step toward realizing the vision of robotics and metamobility that Hyundai Motor Company and Kia have presented to customers."

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