Automotive

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  Government-led team launched to commercialize level 4 self-driving vehicles in 2027 SEOUL -- South Korea launched a government-led project team to commercialize convergent level 4 self-driving vehicles in 2027 with an injection of 1.09 trillion won ($962 million). Level 4 autonomous vehicles have cockpits, allowing drivers to take over control if needed. The most promising direction of level 4 is a robotaxi. The team was inaugurated on March 24 in a ceremony attended by officials from four government bodies -- the Ministry of Trade, Industry and 2021-03-24
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  LPG suppliers agree to renovate charging stations in urban areas for fuel cell vehicles SEOUL -- South Korea's two major suppliers of liquefied petroleum gas will renovate charging stations in urban areas to install facilities for charging fuel cell vehicles, responding to a government campaign to accelerate the establishment of a hydrogen ecosystem. SK Gas and E1 signed a business agreement with the Environment Ministry on March 23 to establish complex charging stations for hydrogen and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in Seoul and adjacent 2021-03-24
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  Hyundai auto group forges partnership with Singapore's Singtel SEOUL -- South Korea's Hyundai auto group partnered with Singtel, a Singapore telecom group, to cooperate in supporting smart manufacturing and connectivity for electric vehicle battery subscription services. They would develop and pilot a 5G-enabled smart factory use case for an intelligent manufacturing platform and potentially scale it up for deployment across Hyundai’s plants. Hyundai said its expertise in developing innovative automotive a 2021-03-23
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  Gangwon province unveils project to develop drones based on liquefied hydrogen SEOUL -- Gangwon, a mountainous, forested province bordering North Korea, has joined a government campaign to establish a hydrogen ecosystem in South Korea by unveiling a project to develop unmanned drones for special purposes based on liquefied hydrogen. The province aims to produce a drone taxi prototype for flying tests in 2022. The province signed a business agreement on March 22 with Gangwon Technopark, a state agency in charge of technology development, and TI 2021-03-23
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  Hyundai Mobis partners with Britain's Meridian to unveil premium car sound system A Hyundai Mobis ad shows a premium sound system on a K-pop square in southern Seoul. SEOUL -- Hyundai Mobis, the parts-making wing of South Korea's Hyundai auto group, unveiled a premium sound system through a partnership with Meridian Audio, a British high-performance audio component and system manufacturer, with their sights set on the global automotive market. The premium sound system was the result of joint development for two years, Hyundai Mobis s 2021-03-22
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  Hyundai auto group partners with Woowa to develop autonomous delivery robots SEOUL -- In cooperation with Woowa Brothers, the frontrunner in food delivery services, South Korea's Hyundai auto group will develop autonomous delivery robots capable of traveling between floors in buildings of various structures and equipped with a payment service. Under a memorandum of understanding, Hyundai will develop robots and establish an integrated control system, while Woowa, the operator of South Korea's favorite food delivery app 2021-03-19
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  SK Group teams up with China's Geely to create $300 mln new mobility fund SEOUL -- Chinese auto company Geely teamed up with the holding company of South Korea's third-largest conglomerate, SK Group, to create a $300 million fund, which is aimed at finding innovative mobility companies and accelerating the popularization of eco-friendly and digital mobility businesses. In an online ceremony involving top executives on March 18, SK Holdings and Geely agreed to inject $30 million each into the new mobility fund. They would attrac 2021-03-18
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  Hyundai Motor releases clear image of multi-purpose vehicle STARIA SEOUL -- South Korea's Hyundai’s auto group released a clear image of its new multi-purpose vehicle, STARIA, saying its exterior presents a futuristic, pure, streamlined silhouette, defined by a fluid curve running from front to back, inspired by the halo that illuminates Earth’s horizon during sunrise when viewed from space. The simple front is adorned with horizontal daytime running lights and a positioning lamp and low-set headlamps ar 2021-03-18
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  [FOCUS] SK Innovation opens new broadside at LG after Volkswagen's switch in battery portfolio SEOUL -- SK Innovation, the battery-making wing of South Korea's SK Group, blasted LG Energy Solution for harboring ulterior intentions to oust its domestic rival from the U.S. market and establish its exclusive position through lawsuits. The new broadside came after their European client, Volkswagen, unveiled an eventual switch to a new type of battery for electric vehicles. SK Innovation (SKI) has been locked in a prolonged legal battle with LG Energy Solution ( 2021-03-16
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  Hyosung's Germany subsidiary seals deal to ship airbags for Amazon’s self-driving robotaxi SEOUL -- A German subsidiary of Hyosung Advanced Materials, an advanced materials production company in South Korea, will ship airbags for a robotaxi unveiled by Amazon’s self-driving vehicle company, Zoox. Along with an array of cameras and sensors, the self-driving vehicle will be equipped with an airbag system on all four seats. Hyosung Advanced Materials said that its subsidiary, GST Global Gmb based in Germany, has sealed a contra 2021-03-16
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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 bat 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 Sw 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 separa 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 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 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 con 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, Hyu 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 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 ce 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 Marc 2021-02-24