Hyundai Motor invests in Israeli chip company

South Korean auto giant Hyundai Motor has invested in Autotalks, an Israeli chip company that makes vehicle-to-vehicle communication systems for self-driving cars. The exact size of the investment was not disclosed.

Under the investment deal, the carmaker has agreed to collaborate with Autotalks for the development of a chipset that works like a human brain for connected cars.

The chipset is a crucial part in self-driving technology for vehicles set to be equipped with a computerized system that receives high-capacity data and controls the operation of cars in the future.

Established in 2008, Autotalks is a leading firm in the field of vehicle-to-everything and holds exclusive technology rights in chipmaking, the carmaker said.

The Israeli company has also been working with Toyota and Samsung.

Hyundai plans to have its car parts subsidiary Hyundai Mobis participate in the collaboration with Autotalks to bolster the carmaker’s capacity in future car technology, including a smart city project.

Hyundai has been developing a smart city scheme to realize complete self-driving technology that enables driving even in bad weather when visibility is not clear enough for a vehicle to sense objects nearby. The project is aimed at allowing vehicles to communicate with other vehicles or a traffic control system in order to prevent possible accidents.

(christory@heraldcorp.com)