Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors on Wednesday held an event to recognize their partner companies, an annual program that they hope will boost research and development efforts, the companies said Wednesday.

“We must accelerate the creation of high quality products and technologies to survive in the highly competitive future car development,” Yang Woong-chul, vice chairman of the R&D center for Hyundai and Kia Motors, said at the 2017 R&D Tech Day held in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province. The event has been held every year since 2006.

“We will help partners upgrade the ability to self-develop technology by providing on-site support.”

Officials from a total of 138 partner companies and researchers participated.

During the event, Hyundai and Kia Motors introduced the Residence Engineer program and encouraged partner firms to participate.

The program sends Hyundai and Kia Motors’ researchers to help their partner companies support their work and prevent quality-related problems, the companies explained.

The automakers plan to run the program with 62 partner companies this year, with an aim to cement it as a leading R&D program in the country, the company said.

During the event, Hanon Systems, a local auto parts maker, was recognized for showing outstanding performance in new car model development last year. Hanon Systems was praised for improving the driving distance of Hyundai Motor’s Ionic electric vehicle with an enhanced air conditioning system, the company said.

To better cope with the rapidly changing auto market, Hyundai and Kia Motors plan to host another R&D Tech Day in the second half of this year.

The upcoming event will also host an exhibition of partner companies’ latest technology and a tech seminar, the company said.

The R&D event has earned Hyundai and Kia Motors recognition from the Korea Commission for Corporate Partnership for three consecutive years since 2014. 

By Kim Bo-gyung (lisakim425@heraldcorp.com)