Motional, a joint venture between Hyundai and Aptiv, has unveiled the first images of its planned autonomous taxi, which will used as a fully driverless ride-hailing service launching in 2023.
Based on Hyundai’s all-electric Ioniq 5 SUV, the robotaxi will be integrated with Motional’s autonomous vehicle technology. The vehicles will feature a suite of more than 30 sensors including lidar, radar and cameras, which are visible in the released images.
These sensors will provide 360 degrees of vision, and the ability to see up to 300 meters away, this will give the Ioniq 5 robotaxi a SAE level 4 of autonomy enabling it to safely operate without a driver.
According to Motional, the vehicle’s zero tailpipe-emissions represents the convergence of the two most transformative technologies in mobility: electrification and autonomy. It believes the fusion of these technologies can make transportation smarter, safer, and more sustainable.
“Hyundai Motor has evolved its Ioniq 5, a battery electric vehicle built on its EV-dedicated platform, into a platform for fully autonomous vehicles,” said Woongjun Jang, head of the autonomous driving centre at Hyundai Motor Group.
“For the Ioniq5-based robotaxi, we have applied various redundancy systems, in addition to a suite of essential technologies to ensure safety and convenience of the passengers. By successfully integrating the group’s Ioniq 5 robotaxi with Motional’s autonomous driving technology, we are proud to announce that we have achieved another important milestone on the road to the commercialisation of our robotaxi.”
Motional will begin transporting public passengers in the Ioniq 5 robotaxi in 2023, through its partnership with ride sharing provider Lyft. It is expected the autonomous taxis will be deployed in multiple U.S. markets.
“This robotaxi represents Motional’s vision of a driverless future becoming a reality,” said Motional president and CEO Karl Iagnemma.
“Through our strategic partnership with Hyundai Motor Group and Aptiv, we have unparalleled automotive and software expertise across our entire vehicle development process. This deep collaboration enables us to manufacture a robotaxi that’s both highly safe and reliable, and is cost-optimised for global production. We’re focused on mass commercialization, and the Ioniq 5 robotaxi is built for that purpose.”
