Hyundai Motor Group and Motional, a global manufacturer of driverless technology, have unveiled a modified Hyundai Ioniq 5-as a robotaxi.
Based on the all-electric Hyundai Ioniq 5, which launched early this year, the robotaxi is an SAE Level 4 autonomous vehicle that can safely operate without a driver. It has zero tailpipe-emissions and represents the convergence of two transformative technologies in mobility: electrification and autonomy.
The Ioniq 5 robotaxi is also Motional’s first commercial vehicle and signals a milestone in the company’s roadmap. Motional will begin transporting public passengers in the Ioniq 5 robotaxi in 2023 through a landmark partnership with Lyft.
The vehicle’s sensor suite is displayed across the exterior, easily distinguishing the robotaxi from human-piloted vehicles. The robotaxi has more than 30 sensors, a combination of cameras, radars and lidar, which provide 360-degree perception, high-resolution images and ultra-long range detection of objects for safe autonomous operation in diverse driving environments.
The robotaxi will be outfitted with Motional’s driverless technology, which includes advanced machine learning systems, trained from decades of real-world data that enables the vehicle to safely navigate challenging and complex driving situations.
Based on the electric global modular platform (E-GMP) with Hyundai’s battery electric vehicle (BEV) platform, the interior provides passengers with a spacious, comfortable place to work, relax, or socialise during their driverless ride. The interior will feature a suite of rider-focused interfaces to allow passengers to intuitively interact with the vehicle during their ride, such as directing the robotaxi to make an extra stop.
The robotaxi's E-GMP delivers fast charging and long-range driving, enabling maximum utilisation of the robotaxi fleet. The Ioniq 5 is globally scalable, positioning the robotaxi for cost-effective commercialisation.
There are safety redundancies across every function, such as the navigation, steering, braking and power, for a safe and smooth ride. Motional will also provide remote vehicle assistance (RVA) to its robotaxis should they encounter an unusual road scenario, such as road construction or flooding. In such an event, a remote Motional operator could instantly connect to the vehicle and direct it to a new path.
Motional and Hyundai will debut the Ioniq 5 robotaxis for the first time at IAA Mobility in Munich, September 7-12.