Waymo and Hyundai have announced a multi-year strategic partnership to integrate the Waymo Driver autonomous driving system into the Hyundai Ioniq 5 electric vehicle.
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This decisioncomes in response to the evolving political landscape and potential bans on Chinese cars in the U.S. The American-manufactured Ioniq 5 will replace the Chinese Zeekr in Waymo's fleet. Testing is set to begin in late 2025, with commercial deployment planned for the following years. The partnership aims to produce a significant number of autonomous electric vehicles featuring enhancements such as backup systems and automatic doors.
José Muñoz, CEO of Hyundai Motor North America, stated that Waymo's technology enhances road safety, making the Ioniq 5 an ideal candidate for scaling this technology. This marks just the beginning of their partnership, with both companies actively seeking additional collaboration opportunities.
