Hyundai to seek ties with tech giants for connected car

Hyundai Motor Group, the world’s fifth largest automaker in sales, said Tuesday it will seek more tie-ups with global tech giants to take a lead in the heated competition for the development of a connected car, while driving its own research and development activities.

“The group will seek more collaboration with leading global information technology and networking companies to develop its ‘hyper-connected and intelligent car’ concept, while increasing investment in its R&D activities,” the company said in its roadmap for “car-to-life” connectivity. 

The Korean automotive group, however, made it clear that it has no acquisition plans yet.

“The company still prefers global tie-ups to an M&A deal in the shift to an era of connected cars like it worked with global tech companies for its telematics and infotainment solutions,’’ a company spokesperson said.

The roadmap indicates Hyundai’s shift of focus to smart cars. The Korean automaker presented the ``car to life'' concept, as cars are increasingly at the center of our lifestyles. 

Key R&D areas to focus are underlined in the roadmap by timeline. In the short- to mid-term, Hyundai said it will concentrate on technologies related to smartphone connectivity and smart home services, while establishing the core infrastructure that will provide a foundation for future developments.

In the longer term, its R&D focus will be put on areas such as smart remote maintenance services, autonomous driving, smart traffic to reduce congestion and to speed up journeys, and a connected mobility hub that provides security and data management for all elements of the connected car.

The carmaker said it has already made progress in the global race for a connected car.

As a case in point, it has already established the “cloud’’ computing system, which puts the core infrastructure of connected cars into place.

A group of scientists have also helped the automotive group to specialize in data analytics since 2013. The company is utilizing big data in various areas to enhance R&D and products, and also gather customer feedback, the company added.

By Seo Jee-yeon (jyseo@heraldcorp.com)