Cooperation: Hyundai builds robotaxis together with Avride
Hyundai and Avride have entered into a partnership to build robotaxis together. The first vehicles are to be deployed this year.
A self-driving vehicle with autonomous technology from Avride.
(Image: Avride)
The South Korean automotive group Hyundai and the autonomous driving technology specialist Avride have entered into a partnership to jointly develop self-driving vehicles for autonomous ridehailing. Avride made the announcement on Wednesday. The company plans to deploy a total of 100 Hyundai Ioniq 5 electric SUVs equipped with autonomous technology from Avride by 2025.
The all-electric Ioniq 5 SUVs are to be built at the new Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) production facility in the US state of Georgia. Avride will then upgrade the vehicles with its autonomous driving technology.
The partnership provides for the two companies to continuously develop the technology for autonomous driving. The first vehicles are to be completed in the coming months and will be deployed immediately afterwards. They will then become part of the Avride Robotaxi fleet, which will be used to operate a driverless cab service. The current plan is to deploy the vehicles "later this year" in Dallas in the US state of Texas.
Possible further cooperation
There are also plans to further expand the fleet over the coming years. Hyundai intends to ramp up production if necessary. However, it is still unclear whether this will happen. Both companies have also agreed to explore whether cooperation is possible in other areas. Specifically, this involves autonomous delivery services. Avride operates a fleet of delivery robots to deliver goods from stores and food from restaurants locally. Avride claims to have successfully delivered more than 200,000 deliveries to date.
Avride also has some experience with autonomous vehicles. Hyundai vehicles such as the Sonata and the Ioniq 5 have already been used as a platform for autonomous driving.
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Avride belonged to the Russian technology company Yandex, but was spun off after the start of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine in 2022. In the course of this, the Yandex Self Riding Group was renamed Avride. All Russian investments are said to have been terminated in the meantime. Avride is based in Austin, USA, and tests its autonomous vehicles in the US.
(olb)