Hyundai Mobis has signed a new business agreement with the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority and Incheon Techno Park to test an L4 autonomous demonstration vehicle in a 60-kilometer (37-mile) section of Songdo and Yeongjongdo in Incheon, a city in Seoul, Korea, by the first half of 2025. An agreement ceremony commemorating the signing was attended by officials including Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority Commissioner Yoon Won-seok, Incheon Techno Park Director Lee Joo-ho, and Jang Jae-ho, head of electronic research at Hyundai Mobis.
The AV that Hyundai Mobis is developing, alongside 20 domestic automobile software partners (including start-ups, research institutes, and major universities), will be driving on Incheon Bridge. The company plans to begin early testing operations within the broader Songdo and Yeongjong Island areas of Incheon Metropolitan City this month, where it will leverage the data obtained through these tests to accelerate the commercialization of autonomous driving as a whole. At the same time, with its partners, Hyundai Mobis aims to introduce a new, advanced, autonomous driving software platform.
Taking a deeper dive into the demonstration AV itself, Hyundai Mobis confirmed that it is equipped with a high-performance processor that replaces the microcontrollers (MCUs) found in similar test vehicles. A focus on securing open-based software design capabilities and power optimization technology will support the vehicle further, while a lightweight design will reduce the number of parts, and wiring will be strengthened during the integration of the software platform. Redundant control design technologies, an essential safety device for autonomous driving, will also be applied to the vehicle. Enabling it to take the lead of the driving task, these technologies enhance safety in anticipation of emergency situations, such as breakdowns or accidents.
Hyundai Mobis plans to verify the autonomous driving solution capabilities secured through the demonstration project. Here, the demonstration vehicle will utilize computing technology optimized for L4 autonomous driving, while meaningful data will be obtained through long-distance city driving. Through the trial, the Hyundai Motor Company subsidiary ultimately expects to advance autonomous driving solutions.
While detailing its new AV pilot, Hyundai Mobis also announced a new partnership with the ‘Incheon Start Up Park’, an initiative operated by Incheon Techno Park. The park offers support to trial projects with partners that work to commercialize products or services offered by various companies. Hyundai Mobis participated in recognition of its contribution to the expansion of the domestic automotive software ecosystem and will help the initiative discover promising start ups located in the region.
