Automotive

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  Kia's EV6 electric vehicle boasts distinctive crossover-inspired design SEOUL -- EV6, a new electric vehicle designed by Kia, a carmaker affiliated with South Korea's Hyundai auto group, boasts a distinctive crossover-inspired design and a curved high-definition audiovisual and navigation screen. The new model will make its world premiere in March 2021 at a special online event. EV6 shared E-GMP, a dedicated battery platform used for IONIQ 5, a utility vehicle unveiled by Hyundai in February. E-GMP is the auto group's battery electric vehicle (B 2021-03-15
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  Plugsurfing founder appointed as CEO of LG's joint venture with Swiss company SEOUL -- Adam Woolway, the founder of Plugsurfing, an app empowering electric vehicle drivers to find and pay for charging throughout Europe, has been named as CEO of Alluto, a joint venture established by South Korea's LG Electronics to develop upgraded automotive solutions including digital cockpits. Alluto headquarters in Santa Clara, California, will be officially launched on March 15. LG Electronics said that the joint venture with Luxoft, a Swiss-based software company, 2021-03-12
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  LG battery unit unveils $4.42 bln new investment to boost production in U.S. SEOUL -- LG Energy Solution, the battery-making wing of South Korea's LG Group, unveiled a new investment of more than five trillion won ($4.42 billion) by 2025 to raise production capabilities in the United States. A separate investment will be decided by the end of June to build a second joint venture plant with General Motors. It marked the battery company's first major investment since LG Energy Solution made its official debut as a separate entity in December 2020. The 2021-03-12
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  Hyundai Motor partners with Hankook Tire to develop tire monitoring technology SEOUL -- In an effort to beef up its competitiveness in the rapidly growing global connected car market and develop new business models, Hyundai's auto group joined hands with Hankook Tire & Technology, a leading domestic tire maker, to develop a monitoring system that can inspect and monitor the condition of tires in real-time. Normally, modern vehicles are equipped with a tire-pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that uses sensors installed on each wheel to monitor the air pr 2021-03-11
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  Hyundai auto group releases teaser image of new MPV with futuristic design SEOUL -- A new multi-purpose vehicle from South Korea's Hyundai’s auto group will be equipped with futuristic design cues and space innovation. The group said the new model offers a strikingly futuristic and mysterious exterior, resembling a spaceship. Hyundai's teaser image released on March 11 showed STARIA Premium, a high-end variant of the group's multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) brand, with future-oriented product values and streamlined design characteristics def 2021-03-11
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  S. Korea's short-term injection of $179 mln into research to nurture automotive semiconductors SEOUL -- South Korea unveiled a short-term injection of 204.7 billion won ($178.8 million) into research and development by next year to nurture automotive semiconductors as a COVID-19 pandemic disrupted global supply and demand, leading to the shortage of key components such as microcontrollers and a price hike. A microcontroller (MCU) is a small computer on a single metal-oxide-semiconductor integrated circuit chip. Microcontrollers are used in automatically controlled products a 2021-03-10
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  Hyundai's teaser image shows first SUV of high-performance N brand SEOUL -- South Korea's Hyundai auto group released a teaser image showing the first sport-utility vehicle of its N brand targeting young consumers who wish to drive high-performance cars. The all-new KONA N is equipped with features such as exclusive alloy wheels and red accents that embellish the side sills. The all-new KONA N will be the latest addition to Hyundai's N brand line-up and the first N model with an SUV body type. In April 2020, Hyundai unveiled the enhanced 2021-03-10
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  Kia releases teaser images for first EV based on dedicated battery platform SEOUL -- Kia, a carmaker affiliated with South Korea's Hyundai auto group, released teaser images for EV6, a new sport utility vehicle based on a dedicated battery platform for electric vehicles. The new model shares the platform used for IONIQ 5, a utility vehicle unveiled by Hyundai in February. E-GMP is the auto group's battery electric vehicle (BEV) platform. Unlike other ordinary electric vehicles with a battery system and an electric motor put on a conventional v 2021-03-09
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  Hyundai auto group holds groundbreaking ceremony for fuel cell plant in China SEOUL -- South Korea's Hyundai auto group held a virtual groundbreaking ceremony for a fuel cell plant in China. It would be the group's first overseas plant to produce fuel cells. To cope with competition with foreign companies in China's fast-growing hydrogen market, the auto group has established distribution networks in the world's second-largest economy with regional partners. In December 2020, Hyundai introduced its hydrogen fuel cell system brand, HTWO, vowi 2021-03-02
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  Hyundai auto group recalls 81,701 electric vehicles at home and abroad SEOUL -- South Korea's Hyundai auto group will recall 81,701 electric vehicles at home and abroad after an interim state investigation showed fire risks caused by potential defects in lithium-ion batteries produced by an LG plant in China. The recall came a day after the auto group declared an all-out entry into the global market with IONIQ 5, a new crossover utility vehicle installed with a dedicated battery platform. Hyundai said the recall from March 29 would affect three bra 2021-02-24
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  Hyundai unveils new utility vehicle 'IONIQ 5' with dedicated BEV platform SEOUL -- IONIQ 5, a new crossover utility vehicle unveiled by South Korea's Hyundai auto group, epitomizes ambitions to become a solid player in the global electric vehicle market as the company has done 45 years ago with its first model, Pony. Hyundai thinks its new electric vehicle is better than Tesla's Model Y in some way. Hyundai described IONIQ 5 as a modern reinterpretation of Pony. The latest CUV installed with a dedicated new battery platform called "E-GMP" 2021-02-23
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  Hyundai Mobis unveils innovative LED rear lamps for various patterns of design SEOUL -- Hyundai Mobis, a parts-making wing of South Korea's Hyundai auto group, unveiled innovative rear lamps using light-emitting diodes that can be bent flexibly like a thin film. It enables various patterns of design and can achieve miniaturization and energy efficiency because rear and brake lamps can be integrated into a single LED light source. The new product called "HLED" has passed European and U.S. reliability tests, Hyundai Mobis said, adding that produc 2021-02-22
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  Vueron tests autonomous driving on highway only with Lidar sensor SEOUL -- A self-driving vehicle has made a successful run on an expressway using only a Lidar sensor produced by Vueron Technology, a start-up formed by engineers from South Korea's state-run research university. Lidar, which measures distance by illuminating the target with laser light, is a key element in autonomous driving. Vueron said that the self-driving vehicle equipped with one radar sensor capable of detecting 360 degrees drove 414 kilometers (257 miles) on an expresswa 2021-02-16
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  Hyundai auto group releases IONIQ 5's interior images, cabin specifications SEOUL -- South Korea's Hyundai auto group released interior images of its IONIQ 5 midsize crossover utility vehicle installed with a dedicated new battery platform, saying the interior is furnished with sustainable materials and textiles such as eco-processed leather, bio paint as well as natural and recycled fibers. IONIQ 5 carrying the electric-global modular platform (E-GMP) will be showcased at an online event on February 23. Hyundai said that the platform houses a flat 2021-02-15
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  Hyundai auto group reveals leg-wheel robot for use in extreme, remote locations SEOUL -- South Korea's Hyundai auto group revealed a leg-wheel robot that functions as a mobile scientific exploration platform in extreme, remote locations. Based on modular platform architecture, the transforming intelligent ground excursion robot (TIGER) is designed to carry various types of payloads while traveling over challenging terrain. The new robot, which is about 80 centimeters long and weighs about 12 kilograms, features a sophisticated leg and wheel locomotion sys 2021-02-10
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  Mando partners with self-driving software company to develop 3D Lidar, 4D imaging radar SEOUL -- Mando, a car parts company in South Korea, partnered with a domestic software company to develop key components for autonomous vehicles such as 3D Lidar and 4D imaging radar. Cooperation will be expanded into future industries such as smart cities, smart factories and unmanned robots. Under a deal on February 9, Mando will use Seoul Robotics' artificial intelligence recognition software to produce Lidar and radar. Lidar measures distance by illuminating the target with 2021-02-09
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  Hyundai auto group denies discussion with Apple about autonomous vehicles SEOUL -- South Korea's Hyundai auto group denied any discussion with U.S. technology giant Apple about the development of autonomous vehicles in an apparent bid to dispel rampant speculation and unconfirmed rumors about a potential deal that could have a far-reaching impact on the U.S. electric vehicle market. "We are not discussing with Apple about the development of autonomous vehicles," Hyundai Motor said in a regulatory filing on February 8. A similar post under th 2021-02-08
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  Mando acquires German-Korean joint venture to diversify production of self-driving components SEOUL -- Mando, a car parts company in South Korea, will acquire Mando‑Hella Electronics, a joint venture between Hella, a German auto parts supplier, and the holding company of Halla Group. The deal worth 165 billion won ($148 million) is aimed at strengthening Mando's capabilities to supply self-driving parts and expand its overseas business. Mando‑Hella Electronics (MHE) specializes in electronic auto components for autonomous driving, radars, cameras, and electronic contro 2021-02-03
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  Hyundai auto group creates new fund to support future mobility startups SEOUL -- South Korea's Hyundai auto group will create a new fund with banks to support startups with prospects in future mobility, eco-friendly cars, artificial intelligence and connected cars. The fund underlines Hyundai's efforts to become a mobility service company capable of producing air taxis. The auto group launched an open innovation platform called ZER01NE and created its first fund in 2018. The group tied up with Korea Development Bank (KDB), a state policy bank, t 2021-02-01
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  Hyundai's IONIQ 5 electric vehicle to be released in Europe in late March SEOUL -- South Korea's Hyundai auto group will release its IONIQ 5 midsize crossover utility vehicle installed with a dedicated new battery platform in March in Europe. It would be sequentially in South Korea and elsewhere. Hyundai said at a conference call on January 26 that IONIQ 5 would be released in Europe around the end of March, carrying the electric-global modular platform (E-GMP) that signals the start of the auto group's full-fledged campaign to replace combustio 2021-01-26