Hyundai and Waymo announce partnership for autonomous driving

Ioniq 5 as the first test vehicle

Photo by: Hyundai

By: Benja Hiller

Oct 12, 2024 at 5:15am ET

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Autonomous driving offers a number of advantages. In addition to reducing the risk of accidents and traffic jams, it should enable older people or people with limited mobility to reach their destination independently. Waymo is well ahead in the race for the best technology.

Google's sister company operates 250 self-driving Jaguar i-Pace cars in San Francisco, USA. These can be summoned via an app. The vehicles then take customers to their desired destination autonomously. Hyundai is now entering into a strategic partnership with precisely this company in order to offer its customers "a safe and comfortable autonomous driving experience".

Gallery: Hyundai Ioniq 5 N (2024) in the test

The first test vehicle will be the Hyundai Ioniq 5, which will be equipped with the sixth generation of Waymo's autonomous technology in the first phase of the partnership and will be added to the company's fleet over time.

"We are excited to partner with Hyundai as we advance our mission to be the world's most trusted driver", said Tekedra Mawakana, co-CEO of Waymo. "Hyundai's focus on sustainability and a strong electric vehicle roadmap makes them a great partner for us as we bring our fully autonomous service to more drivers in more places".

Hyundai itself will deliver the Ioniq 5 to Waymo with specific autonomous modifications such as redundant hardware and electric doors. At Hyundai Motor Group's new EV production facility, Metaplant America (HMGMA) in Georgia, vehicles will be equipped with Waymo's autonomous technology.

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Over several years, a fleet of Ioniq 5 models equipped with Waymo technology will be produced on a significant scale to support the growing size of Waymo One. However, initial testing is not expected to begin until late 2025 before the vehicles become available to Waymo One drivers in the coming years.

"Hyundai and Waymo share a vision to improve the safety, efficiency and convenience of how people get around", said José Muñoz, president and global COO of Hyundai Motor Company and president and CEO of Hyundai Motor North America. "Waymo's transformative technology is improving road safety where they operate and the Ioniq 5 is the ideal vehicle to scale this further".

Source: Hyundai