As the automotive industry shifts toward software and artificial intelligence, Hyundai Motor is deepening its ties with Google. On April 28, Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind, is set to visit Korea for the first time in a decade for a private meeting with senior Hyundai executives.
The partnership’s centerpiece is the robotaxi business. Hyundai Motor plans to sign a strategic deal with Waymo, Google's autonomous driving unit, in October 2024. The plan involves integrating Waymo's sixth-generation fully autonomous driving system, 'Waymo Driver,' into the IONIQ 5 and deploying the vehicles in Waymo's autonomous taxi service, 'Waymo One.'
Hyundai is pursuing a contract to supply Waymo with 50,000 IONIQ 5-based robotaxis by 2028, valued at approximately 3.6 trillion won—the largest autonomous vehicle supply contract on record. Production is slated for Hyundai's Metaplant America (HMGMA) in Georgia, USA, with the goal of rolling out the service in multiple U.S. cities.