[CES 2023] Hyundai Mobis to work with Qualcomm to develop self-driving control unit

LAS VEGAS -- South Korean auto parts and mobility solutions provider Hyundai Mobis on Thursday said it will cooperate with global semiconductor developer Qualcomm to develop autonomous driving control unit technology.

According to Hyundai Mobis, the two companies will work together on developing control technology for Level 3 autonomous driving, which refers to conditional driving automation that allows drivers to hand over control to the vehicle, but requires them to be ready to take the wheel when needed.

Hyundai Mobis said it will receive advanced chips from Qualcomm to develop a software platform that will be installed in the control unit. The plan is to have the finished product in the first half of this year, it added.

The cooperation announcement came at the Consumer Electronics Show 2023 -- the world’s largest annual tech show -- held in Las Vegas this week.

The Korean company said the collaboration with Qualcomm will help secure contracts and expand orders from global carmakers for its products in autonomous driving and advanced driver assistance system.

Hyundai Mobis on the same day unveiled a new vision to become a total mobility platform provider that offers cutting-edge products by combining its hardware and software technology. The company redefined its name Mobis as Mobility Beyond Integrated Solution.

“Our technological advancement toward future mobility involves more than just supplying parts. It entails providing an integrated platform, one that connects software and hardware systematically,” said Cho Sung-hwan, CEO of Hyundai Mobis, in a media presentation held at the company’s exhibition booth at CES 2023.

At the tech convention, Hyundai Mobis set up a 780-square-meter exhibition area, its biggest since the company began participating in the CES in 2016. The company showcased M Vision TO -- a future concept model of a purpose-built vehicle -- to the public for the first time at the event.

M Vision TO uses Hyundai Mobis’ latest autonomous vehicle technology, including its e-corner system -- wheels capable of turning 90 degrees to allow greatly improved driving agility.

During the media presentation, Hyundai Mobis’ future concept car demonstrated the vehicle's "crab driving," in which the wheels turn 90 degrees to move sideways without the car's body turning. The company also presented a video of how the free-moving wheels can be applied to an existing vehicle, with a Hyundai Ioniq 5 demonstrating crab driving and turning on the spot.

Hyundai Mobis also displayed M Vision HI, another future concept car specifically designed to give a sneak peek at what leisure time will look like in the future. M Vision HI’s glass display technology, which could be used for watching movies and online shopping, was applied on all four sides of the futuristic cabin.

Cheon Jae-seung, head of Hyundai Mobis' Future Technology Convergence Institute, acknowledged that it will be difficult to implement the e-corner system in mass-produced vehicles at the moment.

"But the product value is very high, so there will be demand for this technology. Hyundai Mobis will continue to develop relevant technologies," he told a group of reporters after the media presentation.

Kim Young-kwang, Hyundai Mobis' vice president and head of business strategy, reaffirmed the company's commitment to advancing technology.

"Bosch already has secured a big market. Hyundai Mobis has to muscle in. In the end, it's about technology. We are focusing on securing core technology to respond to future mobility such as automation and autonomous driving," said Kim.

According to Automotive News, Hyundai Mobis ranked sixth on the list of top auto suppliers in the world in 2021 with $29.1 billion in sales. Bosch was number one with sales of $49.1 billion.