Hyundai Motor Company has officially entered into a strategic partnership with Avride, an emerging autonomous vehicle and delivery robot startup. This collaboration is set to drive the expansion of self-driving technology, with a key focus on deploying up to 100 autonomous IONIQ 5 robotaxis by 2025.
The foundation of this partnership traces back to 2019, when Avride—then operating under the Yandex brand—began leveraging Hyundai’s vehicles, such as the Sonata and IONIQ 5, as testing platforms for its autonomous driving solutions. Since its spinoff from Yandex in 2022, Avride has been steadily advancing in the autonomous mobility sector, now operating independently from its base in Austin, Texas.
Dmitry Polishchuk, CEO of Avride, emphasized the significance of the partnership in scaling operations. “This new agreement with Hyundai Motor Company will enable us to expand our fleet significantly, targeting up to 100 autonomous IONIQ 5 robotaxis by 2025. By combining Hyundai’s IONIQ 5 with our advanced self-driving technology, we aim to bring safer and more efficient autonomous mobility solutions to the public.”
A crucial component of this initiative is Hyundai’s cutting-edge Metaplant America facility in Georgia. This state-of-the-art manufacturing plant will play a pivotal role in assembling the IONIQ 5 robotaxis before they are integrated with Avride’s autonomous technology. By centralizing production, Hyundai ensures a streamlined process that maximizes efficiency while utilizing Avride’s expertise in self-driving systems. The synergy between Hyundai’s manufacturing capabilities and Avride’s technological advancements is expected to accelerate the adoption of autonomous ride-hailing services.
Hyundai’s investment in autonomous mobility is not limited to this partnership alone. The company has been actively collaborating with various leaders in the self-driving sector, including Waymo, and it maintains a joint venture with Aptiv known as Motional Inc. Motional has been at the forefront of autonomous ride-hailing, operating pilot robotaxi services in Las Vegas since 2018. These efforts reflect Hyundai’s broader strategy to be at the cutting edge of Level 4 autonomous driving solutions.
Chang Song, president and head of Hyundai Motor Group’s Advanced Vehicle Platform (AVP) Division, highlighted the company’s vision for the future. “Hyundai Motor Company is actively shaping the future of autonomous mobility by fostering innovation through strategic partnerships. Our collaboration with Avride is another step in this journey, allowing us to integrate their cutting-edge autonomous technology with our advanced vehicle platforms. By working closely with leading autonomous tech companies, we are positioning ourselves to pioneer the next generation of self-driving vehicles.”
As Hyundai and Avride work towards deploying a fleet of self-driving IONIQ 5 robotaxis, the partnership marks a significant milestone in the evolution of autonomous transportation. By leveraging Hyundai’s robust manufacturing ecosystem and Avride’s expertise in AI-driven mobility, this collaboration aims to redefine the landscape of urban transportation, making autonomous ride-hailing more accessible and efficient for users worldwide.
With this agreement in place, Hyundai continues to reinforce its commitment to advancing autonomous vehicle technology and shaping the future of mobility on a global scale. As the industry moves closer to widespread adoption of self-driving solutions, partnerships like these will be key to unlocking the full potential of autonomous transportation.
