Hyundai Motor receives license to test driverless truck

Hyundai Motor, South Korea’s leading automaker, has become the first carmaker here to receive a temporary permit to test truck platooning, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Tuesday.Through the latest test drives, Hyundai is seeking to develop autonomous logistics delivery trucks. Hyundai Motor's self-driving truck (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport)Hyundai’s self-driving trucks will mostly run on local highways bound for the Incheon port, such as Youngdong high

July 3, 2018

Hyundai Motor invests in Israeli chip company

South Korean auto giant Hyundai Motor has invested in Autotalks, an Israeli chip company that makes vehicle-to-vehicle communication systems for self-driving cars. The exact size of the investment was not disclosed. Under the investment deal, the carmaker has agreed to collaborate with Autotalks for the development of a chipset that works like a human brain for connected cars.The chipset is a crucial part in self-driving technology for vehicles set to be equipped with a computerized system that

July 3, 2018

Trump reaffirms car tariff push, sends jitters to Korea's auto industry

Just months after the US surprised trading partners with steel and aluminum tariffs, US President Donald Trump over the weekend reaffirmed his push to slap a 25 percent tariff on imported vehicles under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act. Trump‘s latest push to implement higher tariffs of 25 percent from the current 2.5 percent has ignited a trade war, intensifying opposition and woes from the global auto industry. Export-dependent South Korean automakers and government officials have approa

July 2, 2018

[Behind the Wheel] 2019 Mercedes-AMG C 43 is back, sportier, more powerful

LUXEMBOURG -- Mercedes-Benz’s No.1 best-selling model worldwide, the new C-Class is back with a revamped design, engine and safety systems, three years after the release of the fifth generation. Out of nearly 12,000 components that make up the car, some 6,500 parts have been replaced, making the latest face-lift the most extensive for the C-Class so far, amid increasing competition with rivals in BMW’s 3-Series, Audi S4 and Volvo S60. Mercedes-AMG C 43 coupe (Mercedes-Benz Korea)Members of the m

July 1, 2018

Benz hopes to remain Koreans’ favorite with 2019 Benz C-Class

LUXEMBOURG -- Introduced to South Korean drivers in 2003 with the setup of Mercedes-Benz Korea, the German luxury carmaker’s C-Class lineup has since become one of Korea’s most preferred import cars.The first C-Class introduced here was the 203 series equipped with the carmaker’s then-most innovative technology, the Sequentronic automated six-speed transmission.The roots of the globally popular lineup dates back to 1982 when the 190 model was launched as the first of the 201 series, categorized

July 1, 2018

[Best Brand] Saean Motors poised to enter Malaysia

Saean Motors, a South Korean electric micro carmaker, is in the final stages of entering the Malaysian market as part of its efforts to diversify its business worldwide.A group of working-level officials from Malaysia’s automaker Go Auto are scheduled to visit Korea next month to examine Saean’s office and research centers here, and clinch a final agreement. 　It signed a memorandum of understanding with the Malaysia Automotive Institute, an agency under the Ministry of International Trade and In

June 29, 2018

Hyundai Motor taps into ESS market with Finland’s Wartsila

Hyundai Motor, South Korea’s No. 1 automotive company by sales, has signed a strategic partnership with Finnish energy firm Wartsila to tap into the energy storage systems market by utilizing used electric vehicle batteries, the company said Tuesday. The move is aimed at securing future growth, while dealing with environmental concerns over used electric vehicle batteries. Hyundai said it is expected to start development of ESS products for industrial use in 2021. “Much spotlight has been put on

June 26, 2018

South Korea to invest W2.6tr in fuel cell vehicles

The South Korean government and businesses agreed to invest some 2.6 trillion won ($2.33 billion) over the next five years to speed up the country’s hydrogen gas-powered vehicle industrial ecosystem, the Trade Ministry said Monday.Aiming to gain an upper hand in the prospective global fuel cell vehicle market, the 2.6 trillion won will be spent on building plants for fuel cell vehicles and fuel cell stacks, manufacturing fuel cell buses and developing fuel cell storage containers.In doing so, th

June 25, 2018

SsangYong’s Tivoli compact SUV remains trendy with customized edition

Key to retaining popularity in the fast-changing South Korean market is introducing customized editions, according to SsangYong Motor, the South Korean unit of Indian carmaker Mahindra & Mahindra.Competing in the compact sport utility vehicle segment, the carmaker’s top-selling Tivoli SUV launched in January 2015 is credited for igniting demand for compact SUVs here.In the first year of its launch, 45,021 Tivoli SUVs were sold and stood for more than half of 82,308 compact SUVs sold here in the

June 25, 2018

[Graphic News] S. Korean auto brands beat Japanese, German rivals in US quality ranking

　Three South Korean vehicle brands, all belonging to Hyundai Motor Group, surpassed their Japanese and German rivals in a United States quality ranking. 　Hyundai luxury brand Genesis, Kia and Hyundai ranked first, second and third, respectively, in the J.D. Power 2018 US Initial Quality Study, for the fewest glitches and design flaws per 100 new vehicles. 　J.D. Power said Genesis ranked highest in overall initial quality with a score of 68 problems per 100 cars. Kia (72) ranked second and Hyunda

June 24, 2018

Affordable foreign cars pose threat to South Korean carmakers

South Korean carmakers now face tougher competition at home as their foreign counterparts are becoming increasingly cost-competitive, on top of their preconceived image as being higher-end or safer.Domestic sales of foreign cars led by German automakers rose 21.7 percent compared to a year prior to 26,133 in May last year, while those of locally produced cars sold by automakers like Hyundai and Kia Motors fell 2 percent to 131,638, according to recent data from the Ministry of Trade, Industry an

June 22, 2018

Hyundai, Kia sweep top 3 spots in US initial quality study

Affiliates of South Korea’s No. 1 automaker Hyundai Motor Group swept the top three positions in an initial quality study conducted by the US institute J.D. Power, outstripping German and Japanese rivals, the auto group said Thursday. , Genesis ranked highest in overall initial quality with a score of 68, followed by Kia in second place with 72 and Hyundai in third place with 74. The industry average was 93 this year. Initial quality is measured by the number of problems experienced per 100 vehi

June 21, 2018

Hyundai, Kia to operate regional headquarters from July

Hyundai Motor Co. and its affiliate Kia Motors Corp. said Monday that their regional headquarters in North America, Europe and India will be making key decisions going forward to better meet local market demands.Starting on July 2, Hyundai's regional headquarters in the three regions and Kia's offices in North America and Europe will begin work in earnest, with top managers allowed to take charge of matters involving local output and sales networks, Hyundai Motor Group said in a statement. (Yonh

June 18, 2018

Benz Korea reveals new CLS coupe, aims to sell over 2,300 units

Mercedes-Benz Korea, the local unit of the German luxury carmaker, revealed its first five-seater CLS coupe in six years in Seoul on Monday, seeking to inch closer to this year’s goal of selling over 70,000 cars for the first time among import carmakers.Riding on demand for CLS coupes here, Benz Korea hopes to sell more than 2,300 units of the new CLS this year, surpassing last year’s performance when South Korea was the second bestselling market for CLS worldwide after China.The third-generatio

June 18, 2018

GM Korea on path to posting notable sales recovery in June

GM Korea, the local unit of the US carmaker, is seeking to regain its rank as the No. 3 bestselling local carmaker here this month on demand for new models and financial support from related parties to stabilize its financial conditions, the company said Friday.GM Korea is hoping to sell more than 10,000 units in June for the first time this year and regain its position as the third top-selling local carmaker here after Hyundai and Kia, based on 3,000 vehicles sold here in the first ten days of

June 15, 2018

Re-elected Seoul mayor likely to ban old diesel cars in city center

After a sweeping election victory by the Democratic Party of Korea, leaders of municipalities are likely to push ahead with an administrative drive to ditch old diesel cars and boost electric vehicles as part of their campaign pledges.Re-elected Seoul city major Park Won-soon vowed during his campaign that he would classify vehicles in five different groups based on the amount of emissions and make an alternative-day-no-driving system mandatory.　Park said incentives would be given to vehicles em

June 14, 2018

Hyundai Motor to sponsor La Liga’s Atletico Madrid

Hyundai Motor has become a global automotive sponsor for La Liga’s leading football club Atletico Madrid, stepping up sports marketing efforts in Europe, the company said Thursday.The sponsorship deal was announced just days after the automaker revealed its partnership with Chelsea FC.Until 2021, Hyundai’s logo will appear on the sleeve of the football club’s uniform, alongside advertising boards in its stadium. Hyundai will also be given the rights to display its vehicles at Atletico Madrid’s h

June 14, 2018

Hyundai, Kia step up cooperation with Chinese IT firms for future mobility

South Korea’s largest carmaker Hyundai Motor has signed a partnership with Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepGlint, as part of measures to beef up “open innovation” with startups in future mobility, the company said Wednesday.The deal was revealed by Hyundai Motor heir apparent Chung Eui-sun at the annual CES Asia 2018 underway in Shanghai, China, for three days until Friday. Chung was making a public appearance for the first time since the conglomerate dropped plans for governance ove

June 13, 2018

Hyundai flags eight wins at international motorsports competitions this year

Hyundai Motor is poised to become a leading automaker in motorsports, sweeping eight wins at the World Rally Championship and World Touring Car Cup so far this year, the company said Tuesday. The latest victory scored by Thierry Neuville, driver of Hyundai WRC team, came last week at the seventh round of the 2018 WRC in Italy.“The rally in Italy was fantastic. We were able to reap a notable record thanks to Hyundai’s outstanding i20 rally car and team members,” said Michele Nandan, the head to H

June 12, 2018

Hyundai signs partnership with EPL Chelsea FC

Hyundai Motor, South Korea’s leading automaker, has become an official global automotive partner of top Premier League Chelsea football club, the company said Tuesday. Hyundai’s logo will appear on advertising boards in the stadium, and Hyundai’s vehicles displayed at the club’s home stadium Stamford Bridge.Chelsea players will also wear jerseys with Hyundai’s logo embedded on the left sleeve for the next four years starting August this year, when the new season begins, the company said. (from l

June 12, 2018