Automakers most trusted to develop self-driving tech: survey

Amid rising competition between automotive and IT companies to take the lead in securing autonomous driving technology, consumers expressed more trust in self-driving technology developed by conventional automakers, a survey showed Sunday.　Out of the 5,045 people surveyed across five countries -- the US, the UK, Italy, Germany and France -- 30 percent answered they trust autonomous driving technology put together by auto firms, according to the survey complied by Inrix, a US-based connected car

May 28, 2017

Hyundai holds biennial driverless car race

Hyundai Motor Co. on Friday held its fourth biennial competition for autonomous cars at a local speed circuit, a move aimed at enhancing its brand image and promoting technology growth.  In the past two decades, the carmaker provided advice and information on self-driving cars to university students so they can apply this know-how and come up with their own autonomous vehicles.  (Yonhap)It is part of Hyundai's broad effort to become a leading player in the cutting-edge vehicle sector going forwa

May 26, 2017

Tesla sets up 1st supercharger in Korea

Tesla Motors Inc. has set up its first rapid-charging station in South Korea, the first of its planned 14 superchargers this year, the US electric carmaker said Thursday. The first supercharger was built at the Grand Intercontinental Hotel in southern Seoul. The company's luxury Model S 90D can run 270 kilometers on a 30-minute charge, Tesla said in an emailed statement. (Yonhap)Tesla customers are currently allowed to use the supercharger free of charge. But the policy may change, it said.  Tel

May 25, 2017

Hyundai Motor unveils Elec City

Hyundai Motor, South Korea’s No. 1 automaker, on Thursday unveiled its first-ever zero emission electric bus, Elec City, scheduled for launch next year at the Hyundai Truck & Bus Mega Fair event.The introduction comes as the automotive company seeks to strengthen its competitiveness in the commercial vehicle sector, with an aim to sell 105,000 commercial vehicles this year while diversifying its revenue streams. Officials of Hyundai Motor and the government pose in front of Elec City, Hyundai’s

May 25, 2017

Toyota, 6 other foreign carmakers ordered to recall over 40,000 vehicles

Seven foreign carmakers have been ordered to recall more than 40,000 vehicles in South Korea for faulty parts, the transport ministry said Thursday. This is the latest in a series of recall orders issued by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport against both domestic and foreign carmakers.  (Yonhap)The carmakers plan to recall 28 different models totaling 40,222 units. These include Toyota Motor Corp.'s Sienna van and its luxury brand Lexus EX350 sedan, Ford Motor Co.'s Focus sedan a

May 25, 2017

Hyundai to test i30N hot hatch in 24 Hours Nurburgring

Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's biggest carmaker by sales, said Wednesday it will test its i30N hot hatch in a 24-hour endurance race in Germany this weekend.Hyundai sent an 8-member driver team, composed of four research engineers and four professional drivers, to the 2017 24 Hours Nurburgring to test components that will eventually make it into production cars.In this photo, taken on April 23, 2017, four research engineers at Hyundai Motor pose after obtaining a license in a preliminary race

May 24, 2017

Best-selling foreign cars either cheap or expensive: report

The best-selling imported cars in South Korea so far this year were either very affordable or incredibly expensive, data showed Wednesday.According to data compiled by Korea Automobiles and Distributors Association, the number of foreign vehicles sold for under 30 million won surged 81 percent in the first four months to 2,960 units. The increase in the lowest price bracket was largely contributed by Nissan’s Altima, the carmaker’s sedan released at 29.9 million won in last April, and Juke, a cr

May 24, 2017

Kia unveils high-performance Stinger sports car

Kia Motors, South Korea’s No. 2 automotive company, on Tuesday released its first-ever high-performance sports car, the Stinger, with an aim to expand its consumer base.“The Stinger is the fruit of creativity and differentiated technology. It will open a new paradigm of high performance premium sedans on revolutionary design and driving performance,” said Lee Hyoung-keun, vice chairman of Kia Motors, at a media event at Grand Intercontinental Seoul Parnas in southern Seoul. The target sales of t

May 23, 2017

BMW provides new opportunities for Korean society

BMW Korea has spent approximately 11 trillion won ($10 million) over the years in contributing to Korean society as a model for other foreign affiliated firms, said the company Tuesday. The total amount of donations made in the past six years has reached 22.5 billion won as of 2016 with BMW Financial Service Korea, eight official dealer companies and its customers joining in.The BMW driving center, the world’s first vehicle culture complex, has seen 400,000 visitors since its opening in 2014. In

May 23, 2017

[Moon in Office] Moon to foster EVs as new growth engine

The Korea Herald is publishing a series of articles delving into the economic policies and tasks expected of the new Moon Jae-in administration. This is the seventh installment -- Ed.Electric vehicles could get a boost with the launch of the Moon Jae-in administration, which has vowed to foster environment-friendly cars as a new economic growth engine.“I will put forth all efforts to promote electric vehicles, autonomous cars, renewable energy and other new growth industries” then presidential c

May 22, 2017

Hyundai Motor to use new air-conditioning refrigerant in all models

Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's top automaker, said Monday that all its passenger cars will use environmental-friendly air-conditioning refrigerant by 2020 as part of efforts to combat global warming.The automaker said it will adopt the R1234yf air-conditioning refrigerant for all of its passenger vehicles going forward. (Yonhap)In the past it used eco-friendly refrigerants for vehicles sold in Europe in order to meet the European Commission standards regarding the regulations on carbon dioxide

May 22, 2017

Hyundai’s Kona likely to face production delay

 Concerns are growing over a possible delay in the production of Hyundai Motor’s small SUV model due to an ongoing labor dispute at its Ulsan Plant 1.Its labor and management are locking horns to reach an agreement on the scale of new car parts to be adopted for Kona, working hours as well as the number of workers to be assigned.(Yonhap)The disagreement was triggered after the company decided to outsource the assembly line’s supply of car bumpers. The decision was made in order to maximize the e

May 21, 2017

South Korea to open test center for autonomous cars next year

 South Korea’s test bed for autonomous cars, dubbed K-City, is expected to complete construction in the second half of next year, as the government aims to commercialize level 3 self-driving by 2020.“Autonomous driving is a complex technology that encompasses various sectors including the automotive, artificial-intelligence, information and communication industries. We hope K-City becomes a hub for cooperation among local and foreign companies and academia.” said the spokesperson for the Korea T

May 21, 2017

Kia Stinger similar in performance, competitive in prices vs German rivals

The Stinger sports car, set to be launched by Kia Motors Corp. Tuesday, is competitive in prices and fuel efficiency compared to German vehicles, industrial data showed Sunday.Kia's first sports sedan, which will carry an independent Stinger badge without the KIA logo, is similar in performance and fuel efficiency to its German rivals, showed data collected by Yonhap News Agency.The Stinger will be available with three engine options -- a 2.0 turbo, a 3.3 twin-turbo, and a 2.2 diesel engine -- a

May 21, 2017

BMW, Mercedes-Benz sell more cars in Korea than Japan

German carmakers BMW and Mercedes-Benz sold more vehicles in South Korea in the January-April period compared to Japan, an industry association said Sunday.Vehicle sales by BMW and Mercedes-Benz jumped 48 percent and 32 percent year-on-year, respectively, to 18,115 and 24,877 units in the Korean market during the first four months, showed data from the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association. In Japan, BMW's sales rose 2.2 percent to 15,818 units and Mercedes-Benz's increased 0.7

May 21, 2017

Automakers bet on SUVs in Korea amid strong demand

Carmakers are betting on sport-utility vehicles in the South Korean market amid strong consumer demand, industry insiders said Friday. In the next two to three years, local and foreign carmakers have plans to introduce a series of premium SUVs to reflect the popularity of recreational vehicles, according to the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association and the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association.  Genesis' GV80 concept car unveiled at New York Motor Show last month (Yonhap)"

May 19, 2017

Hyundai Motor denies transitioning into holding company

Hyundai Motor, South Korea’s leading automotive company, on Friday officially denied a local news report that it is planning to convert into a holding company next week.Local news outlet Maeil Business Newspaper had reported that Hyundai Motor Group will hold a board member meeting next week to introduce a holding company structure.“The report that Hyundai Motor will convert into a holding company next week is not true,” said the spokesperson of Hyundai Motor Group.(Yonhap)Following Hyundai’s of

May 19, 2017

Kia launches upgraded K3 subcompact

Kia Motors Corp. on Thursday launched an upgraded K3 subcompact to attract customers with more features and simplified trims.The 1.6-liter K3 subcompact went on sale in the domestic market earlier in the day, the country's second-biggest carmaker said in a statement. Kia`s K3 subcompact (Courtesy of Kia Motors) (Yonhap)Kia reduced the number of trims of the diesel-powered K3 to four from six and of the gasoline version to three from six. It added improved features such as 16-inch alloy wheels an

May 18, 2017

Audi Volkswagen Korea waiting to resume sales

Audi Volkswagen Korea, a local importer and distributor of German auto brands, is still waiting for government authorization of its Audi and Volkswagen models, but it has resumed sales of its luxury Bentley cars, the company said Thursday.Audi Korea’s request for government approval this month has led the auto industry to expect it to resume sales here in the third quarter of this year, as it took about 1 1/2 months for the Ministry of Environment to approve of Bentley, according to local report

May 18, 2017

Hyundai launches hybrid version of latest Sonata

Hyundai Motor Co. has launched the hybrid version of its latest Sonata sedan to diversify its lineup, the company said Thursday. The Sonata New Rise Hybrid went on sale earlier in the day in the domestic market with a lifetime battery warranty, 10-year/200,000-kilometer warranty on parts for hybrid vehicles and a guarantee of 62 percent of its value after three years, Hyundai said in a statement.  Hyundai`s Sonata New Rise Hybrid (Courtesy of Hyundai Motor) (Yonhap)The 2.0-liter hybrid sedan mat

May 18, 2017