Automotive

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  Hanhwa Group reveals aggressive strategy to preempt air mobility technologies SEOUL -- South Korea's Hanhwa Group revealed an aggressive strategy to preoccupy a future air mobility market by forging a series of partnerships with foreign companies with superior technologies in the manufacturing of various flying vehicles that could be used for air taxis and personal air vehicles. The Farnborough International Airshow, a trade exhibition in England, provided a crucial opportunity for Hanwha Group units to forge partnerships with foreign companies such as 2022-07-21
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  Hanwha Aerospace ties up with Britain's Vertical to develop electro mechanical actuator for air taxis SEOUL -- Hanwha Aerospace, an aircraft parts maker affiliated with South Korea's Hanwha Group, tied up with Vertical Aerospace, a British electric aviation company, to develop a high-performance electro mechanical actuator for air taxis and flying vehicles for urban air mobility, an ecosystem covering personal air vehicles and infrastructure. At the Farnborough International Airshow, a trade exhibition in England, Hanwha Aerospace said it has signed a joint cooperation agre 2022-07-21
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  Rolls-Royce partners with Hyundai to develop all-electric propulsion and hydrogen fuel cell technology for AAM SEOUL -- Rolls-Royce, a luxury automobile maker in Britain, joined hands with South Korea's Hyundai auto group to cooperate in developing all-electric propulsion and hydrogen fuel cell technology. The partnership will leverage Rolls-Royce's aviation and certification capabilities and Hyundai's hydrogen fuel cell technologies. Rolls-Royce and Hyundai share a vision of leading the way in the advanced air mobility (AAM) market by delivering battery-electric and fuel cell 2022-07-19
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  Butterfly mimicked to create Hyundai's eVTOL interior cabin SEOUL -- Engineers and designers have mimicked a butterfly to create a lightweight interior cabin made of forged carbon fiber for an electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL) being developed by the urban air mobility team of South Korea's Hyundai auto group. Supernal, a mobility service provider set up by the auto group in the United States, revealed its five-seat eVTOL vehicle cabin concept at the Farnborough International Airshow, a trade exhibition in England. 2022-07-19
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  Provincial government submits bid to host test center for hyperloop technology SEOUL -- A provincial government has submitted a bid for South Korea's state project to establish a test center for the research and demonstration of hyperloop technology that allows a vehicle levitated by magnetic force to drive at a maximum speed of 1,200 kilometers (745 miles) per hour. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will decide in August to select a site for the test bed that will conduct research with the goal of driving 800 kilometers per hour on a te 2022-07-18
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  Kolon Industries invests in lithium metal anode company to diversify portfolio SEOUL -- Kolon Industries, a chemical and textile manufacturing company in South Korea, made a strategic investment in Neo Battery (NEVA), a domestic startup specializing in lithium metal anodes, to diversify its business portfolio into important materials for secondary batteries. Kolon Industries said it has become the second-largest shareholder of NEVA by investing about 10 billion won ($7.7 million). NEVA produces high-purity lithium metal ingot, chips, foil, or powder while re 2022-07-11
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  SK nexilis to complete construction of thin copper foil plant in Poland in 2024 SEOUL -- The subsidiary of SKC, a chemical material unit of South Korea's SK Group, will complete the construction of a thin copper foil plant with an annual production capacity of 50,000 tons in Poland in the first half of 2024. The plant is part of a strategy to establish a global production system. SKC said that its wholly-owned subsidiary, SK nexilis, would invest 900 billion won ($691 million) to complete the construction of its plant in Poland in the first half of 2024. It 2022-07-08
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  Mexico favored by S. Korean EV component makers to circumvent U.S. trade restrictions SEOUL -- Mexico is emerging as a place favored by South Korean electric vehicle component makers to circumvent trade restrictions imposed by the United States where demand for electric vehicle components is increasing with the expansion of renewable energy and eco-friendly transportation means. At Ramos Arizpe, a city in the Mexican state of Coahuila, POSCO International, a trading arm of South Korea's steel group POSCO, held a groundbreaking ceremony on July 6 for its plant to 2022-07-07
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  POSCO acquires domestic producer of silicon-based anode materials for batteries SEOUL -- South Korea's leading steel group POSCO unveiled a new goal to boost the production of key materials for batteries after acquiring a domestic manufacturer of silicon-based anode materials in a deal that would help reduce the group's dependence on Chinese raw materials. POSCO Holdings said it has signed a stock purchase agreement to acquire 100 percent of Tera Technos, a silicon anode startup with a high-temperature liquid production technology with excellent heat 2022-07-05
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  [INTERVIEW] Mobility expert recommends bold strategy to turn entire S. Korea into test bed SEOUL -- As a technological revolution unparalleled in human history creates innovative changes in mobility, an expert with career experience in future platforms such as autonomous driving recommends a bold test bed strategy for South Korea to secure competitiveness in mobility in a short period of time. Cha Doo-won, head of the CHA Mobility Research Institute, demands urgent government support to acquire domestic mobility personnel, pointing to a competitive push worldwide to s 2022-07-01
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  POSCO Chemical partners with British startup Britishvolt to develop and supply battery materials SEOUL -- POSCO Chemical, a unit of South Korea's top steel group POSCO, has secured a new partner for the expansion of its business in Europe through a deal with Britishvolt, a battery startup based in Britain, to develop and supply materials for electric vehicle batteries. Under a memorandum of understanding, the two companies agreed to cooperate on the joint development of battery materials to be used in Britishvolt's batteries and promote supply contracts. Along with t 2022-06-30
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  Solus board approves $187 million investment in copper foil factory in Canada SEOUL -- Solus Advanced Materials, an electric component and copper product maker in South Korea, earmarked about 240 billion won ($187 million) for investment in the construction of a battery copper foil factory in Quebec, Canada. The plant is to start the mass production of 17,000 tons of foils in the second half of 2024. Solus said its board endorsed the proposed investment of 240 billion won in its subsidiary, Volta Energy Solutions (VES), which will own the foil factory in Cana 2022-06-28
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  LG Innotek develops new car radar module with world's highest resolution and performance SEOUL -- LG Innotek, the electric component unit of South Korea's LG Group, unveiled a new in-vehicle radar module capable of detecting the presence or movement of life using radio waves. The module boasting the world's highest resolution and performance can prevent theft and identify the location and number of passengers in all seats as well as bio-signals and movements. With the aim of commercializing its new module in 2024, LG Innotek vowed to actively target global mar 2022-06-28
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  Hyundai Mobis unveils smart cabin controller to monitor and analyze biometric signals in real time for safe driving SEOUL -- Hyundai Mobis, the parts-making unit of South Korea's Hyundai auto group, unveiled a smart cabin controller that can monitor and analyze various biometric signals such as driver's posture, heart rate, and brain wave in real time to ensure safe driving or prevent drunk and drowsy driving. The system consists of four sensors, a controller that analyzes bio-signal information, and software logic. This is the world's first healthcare-only controller that can integra 2022-06-23
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  Two Hanwha units invest $115 million in American UAM partner Overair SEOUL -- Two units of South Korea's Hanwha Group will invest $115 million together in their American partner, Overair, which develops electric and hybrid-electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, or eVTOLs, for urban air mobility (UAM), an ecosystem covering personal air vehicles and infrastructure. The two companies acquired Overair's convertible note, which is a form of short-term debt that converts into equity, typically in conjunction with a future financing round 2022-06-14
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  Researchers localize laser LED hybrid headlamps for commercial vehicles SEOUL -- South Korean researchers have localized laser light-emitting diode hybrid headlamps that can be applied to commercial vehicles and digital lights. Laser headlamps can focus light on a narrow area, reduce the size of optical systems, and enable free design. The Korea Photonics Technology Institute (KOPTI) has applied an ultra-precision optical system design to develop new headlamps which can easily recognize vehicles and people from long distances while minimizing the obs 2022-06-13
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  Hyundai Steel's new alloy steel for EV reduction gears wins state certification SEOUL -- Hyundai Steel's new alloy steel for reduction gears, which is a high-performance material for electric vehicles, has secured government certification as a new excellent technology that will receive state support for early commercialization. An electric vehicle has reduction gears between its motor and wheels. Hyundai Steel, the steel-making unit of South Korea's Hyundai auto group, said it has developed alloy steel manufacturing technology for reduction gears. Hyun 2022-06-09
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  Pilot car-hailing service using self-driving electric vehicles begins in crowded urban district SEOUL -- A pilot car-hailing service using two electric vehicles with autonomous driving technology began in one of the most congested areas in Seoul. South Korea's Hyundai auto group has turned IONIQ 5 models into self-driving vehicles that require intervention by human drivers only in case of an emergency. A ceremony was held on June 9 at a Hyundai Motor building to launch the pilot service called "RoboRide" in Gangnam, a crowded commercial district in southern Seou 2022-06-09
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  LG Chem establish precursor joint venture with domestic firm to strengthen battery material value chain SEOUL -- LG Chem, a chemical unit of South Korea's LG Group, will establish a precursor joint venture with a domestic company to strengthen its battery material value chain. Precursors are raw materials for cathodes, which are manufactured by combining metals such as nickel, cobalt, manganese, and aluminum. KEMCO will own 51 percent of the joint venture, and LG Chem controls 49 percent. The construction of a joint venture plant is to begin in July for mass production in the sec 2022-06-02
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  Research body develops device capable of reducing vibration and impact in railway cargo transportation SEOUL -- South Korea's state-run railway research body has developed a device that can reduce the vibration and impact of transporting vulnerable railway cargo such as electronic products, flat panel displays and semiconductors. It was described as a practical and economical device that is easy to install and remove with a simple configuration. The vibration reduction device can prevent cargo damage by reducing more than 60 percent of vibration and 80 percent of impact by usin 2022-05-24