Motional IONIQ 5 Robotaxi to be manufactured at Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Center Singapore

 

Investment in Singapore’s Autonomous Vehicle Ecosystem

A decade ago, Singapore began investing in the idea of autonomous vehicles and the promise that this technology could reshape how people move around the city. Now Motional, which benefited from these activities, is reinvesting back into its Singapore operations.

The company recently completed a multi-million dollar expansion project that doubled the amount of office and garage space, located in the heart of Singapore’s high-tech district, allowing Motional to grow its R&D and Operations footprint in the country. The investment reinforces Motional’s commitment to Singapore.

 

“Singapore continues to be a vital part of our international R&D ecosystem, and this expansion signifies our continued investment in the region.”

Abe Ghabra

Chief Operating Officer of Motional

 

 

Motional’s roots in Singapore reach back to 2014, when nuTonomy began conducting R&D in the country. nuTonomy was acquired by Aptiv (known then as Delphi Automotive) in 2017. Aptiv and Hyundai formed Motional in 2020 with nuTonomy co-founder and chief executive Karl Iagnemma as CEO.

Singapore was home to the company’s first test fleet of AVs, and in 2016 the team launched the world’s first public robotaxi pilot in the city.

Motional has significantly grown its presence since then, and helped establish the region as a major hub for autonomous vehicle research and development.

“A decade ago, we embarked on a journey of investment in autonomous vehicles, foreseeing their transformative impact on urban mobility. Today, as we witness the fruition of our efforts, we take pride in collaborating with visionary partners and fostering new technologies that not only shape Singapore’s future but also inspire global innovation.”

Dr. Basil Lui

Founding Partner of August Global Founding Partners

 

Hyundai Motor Group (the Group) and Motional – a global autonomous technology leader – celebrate the opening of the Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Center Singapore (HMGICS) and announce that Hyundai and Motional’s jointly developed all-electric IONIQ 5 robotaxi will be manufactured at HMGICS. The first production-ready IONIQ 5 robotaxis will be deployed as part of Motional’s commercial services in the U.S., starting in 2024.

 

A joint venture

Headquartered in Boston, US, Motional is one of the world’s leading developers of autonomous vehicles (AVs). Their mission is to create, shape, and advance driverless technology capable of saving lives, time, and money. And, ultimately, change the way that the world moves.

When you combine Motional – a leading developer of AVs with Hyundai – one of the world’s leading brand of automotives, you get something uniquely powerful. The result is an exceptional driverless vehicle, which is built with Hyundai’s world-renowned expertise in safety and reliability. The IONIQ 5 robotaxi is globally scalable and ready for mass commercialization and represents an incredibly exciting moment in both Hyundai and Motional’s history.

 

Inspired by the IONIQ 5

The first robotaxi model is based on the IONIQ 5 and is fully electric. We chose the IONIQ 5 as inspiration because of its focus on sustainability and its highly functional and unique exterior and interior.

The IONIQ 5 robotaxi is the embodiment of the two most transformative technologies in mobility coming together in one vehicle: electrification and autonomy. This zero-emissions robotaxi will not only make transportation safer and more accessible – but it’ll also make it more sustainable. This was a core consideration for the team when thinking about the role of autonomous vehicles and how these vehicles can help to make our cities greener.

Additionally, Motional and the Group revealed that the IONIQ 5 robotaxi is one of the first SAE Level 4 autonomous vehicles (AVs) to be certified under the U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). The certification is a testament to the vehicle’s incredibly thorough development and testing program, its safety and reliability, and the sophistication of the autonomous technology, according to Motional President and CEO Karl Iagnemma.

 

“HMGICS is a vision for transportation innovation. We’re enormously proud to have the IONIQ 5 robotaxi manufactured at this facility and look forward to introducing the world to some of the first-ever FMVSS-certified autonomous vehicles. It’s through the strength of our collaboration with Hyundai that we were able to develop an industry-leading robotaxi that meets rigorous federal standards and is ready for mass commercialization.”

Karl Iagnemma

 President and CEO of Motional

“HMGICS stands as Hyundai Motor Group’s first global innovation hub and global test bed for future mobility. Our mission at HMGICS is to revolutionize the mobility value chain by developing and producing advanced and diverse forms of future mobility solutions. Commencing production of the IONIQ 5 robotaxi in collaboration with Motional, we are committed to a continuous journey of innovation, aiming to spearhead the paradigm shift in the future of mobility.”

Hong Bum Jung

CEO of HMGICS

 

 

“Hyundai Motor has evolved its IONIQ 5, a battery electric vehicle built on its EV-dedicated platform, into a platform for fully autonomous vehicles. For the IONIQ 5-based robotaxi, we have applied various redundancy systems, in addition to a suite of essential technologies to ensure safety and convenience of the passengers. By successfully integrating the Group’s IONIQ 5 robotaxi with Motional’s autonomous driving technology, we are proud to announce that we have achieved another important milestone on the road to the commercialization of our robotaxi.”

Woongjun Jang

Head of the Autonomous Driving Center at Hyundai Motor Group

 

 

HMGICS combines advanced automation and real-time monitoring and data evaluation to push the boundaries of what’s possible in production. It’s also equipped with advanced features bespoke to HMGICS to support AV production, including testing facilities and a calibration center. Motional has deployed a team on site to assist with production. These employees are located at the Autonomous Vehicle Integration Center and will perform critical diagnostics, software development, calibration and validation tasks to ensure that finished examples of the IONIQ 5 robotaxi meet exacting specifications and are ready for deployment.

Motional and the Group have been preparing for the production of the breakthrough IONIQ 5 robotaxi for several years, including the development of a limited series of prototype vehicles that have been tested in the U.S. and Singapore for over a year. The initial fleet of IONIQ 5 robotaxis recently completed a series of evaluations designed to demonstrate the quality, performance, and maturity of the robotaxi and its autonomous driving technology. Commercial production of the IONIQ 5 robotaxi is underway, and the first models have already arrived at Motional’s facility in the U.S.. The vehicles are undergoing Motional’s rigorous testing and safety validation processes before beginning commercial service in 2024.

 

Hyundai IONIQ 5 Robotaxi Passes Driver’s License Test to Demonstrate ‘Uncompromised Safety’

 

“I’m a DMV Certified Driving Examiner with 25 years of experience. In that time, I’ve failed thousands and thousands of students in the interest of public safety. It’s going to be the same criteria – just like testing a human. We’ll be monitoring the speed, lane changes. I’m going to grade maneuvers, making a complete stop, left turns, maintaining the lane, and of course reaction time.”

Kandice Jones

Examiner who tested the IONIQ 5 robotaxi

 

The IONIQ 5 robotaxi is the embodiment of transformative technologies in mobility coming together in one vehicle. It signifies the extensive collaboration between Hyundai Motor Group and autonomous driving technology developer Motional, spanning years of development and rigorous testing of advanced automotive platforms and self-driving technology. The IONIQ 5 robotaxi achieves consistent driving performance in various driving environments thanks to its suite of advanced sensors, combining LiDAR, radar and cameras.