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Hyundai is pledging that all of its brands’ products will qualify as software-defined vehicles (SDVs) by 2025 in a drive to accelerate the uptake of connected cars.

The automaker presents its vision during an Unlock the Software Age global online forum promising to deliver “an unprecedented era of mobility, giving customers the freedom to remotely upgrade the performance and functionality of their vehicles anywhere, at any time.” Hyundai also shares plans to transform the customer experience throughout the vehicle’s lifetime and deliver constantly evolving software technology.

The automaker is not alone in this over-the-air software update strategy, however, it points to its in-house-developed connected-car operating system (ccOS) as a game-changer in delivering upgrades and offering customers personalized services, such as software subscriptions.

It also intends to future-proof its vehicles and their ability to connect to its upcoming projects including purpose-built vehicles, advanced air mobility, robo-taxis and robots. The group also will invest in software know-how to integrate hardware and software technologies to the tune of 18 trillion won ($12.5 billion) in resources, including the establishment of a Global Software Center to bolster its software capabilities and accelerate SDV development.

One of the key features claimed for the ccOS is that the platform can be applied to all controllers and can boost hardware performance through extremely high computing power. To aid this the automaker has teamed up with digital gaming giant Nvidia putting its platform onto Nvidia Drive, a high-performance processor.

Based on its integrated controllers and internal software platform, the automaker hopes to strengthen its competitiveness in autonomous driving technology. Its new platform is expected to analyze and process data ultra-rapidly, provided by the vast data collection capabilities of technology such as the sensors within the cameras, radars, and lidars mounted on the vehicle.

Hyundai is also developing a third-generation integrated controller to enable faster computation and more efficient control by installing a higher-performance CPU and increasing the integration between controllers compared to the currently commercialized second-generation integrated controller. This controller will become the basis for the automaker’s expansion of mass-producing autonomous driving Level 3 vehicles as well as the commercialization of Level 4 and Level 5 autonomous driving. It is also being designed to deliver improved heat dissipation, lower noise levels and reduced production costs.

Woongjun Jang, senior vice president and head of the Autonomous Driving Center at Hyundai, says: “This year, the Group will apply an advanced Highway Driving Pilot (HDP) on the Genesis G90, which is a Level 3 technology for autonomous driving based on the second-generation integrated controller. The Group is also developing its Remote Parking Pilot (RPP) for Level 3 autonomous driving.” 

Chung Kook Park, Hyundai’s president and head of its R&D Div., adds: “By transforming all vehicles to Software Defined Vehicles by 2025, Hyundai Motor Group will completely redefine the concept of the automobile and take the lead in ushering in a never-before-experienced era of mobility. Creating visionary vehicles empowered with the ability to evolve through software will enable customers to keep their vehicles up to date with the latest features and technology long after they have left the factory.”

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