South Korean legacy automaker Hyundai demonstrates its dedication to joining the autonomous driving tech race as its Hyundai Ioniq 5 Robotaxi passed a simulated driver’s license test in Las Vegas on Friday.
Campaign film
Hyundai recently released a campaign film showcasing its electric, self-driving Ioniq 5 Robotaxi seamlessly passing a simulated Class C License Exam in the United States.
Hyundai refers to the test as “simulated” because it transpired on a closed course. Nonetheless, there was still traffic and potential hazards on the electric crossover’s route that could have prompted it to make a mistake.
The company also noted that “portions of the autonomous driving segments in the campaign film were simulated with a human driver” without specifying which parts it is referring to. It is likely that some of the testing was conducted outside of a closed course, and the driver was legally obligated to be in control of the vehicle while driving on public roads.
All that said, it is not a true real-life driving test. Therefore, the US did not grant the electric crossover its own driving license even though it successfully passed the test.
Nonetheless, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 Robotaxi definitely fulfilled its goal of establishing confidence in self-driving EVs.
Hyundai Ioniq 5 Robotaxi’s autonomous driving tech
American autonomous vehicle company Motional helped Hyundai develop the self-driving Ioniq 5 Robotaxi.
It signifies the partnership’s years of development efforts and rigorous testing of innovative car platforms and autonomous driving tech.
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 Robotaxi continues to demonstrate its consistent and remarkable driving performance in different settings owing to its cutting-edge technological features, such as follows:
- Advanced sensors
- Combining LiDAR
- Radar
- Cameras
- Motional’s AI-powered software
“We will continue our efforts to communicate our AI-based autonomous driving technology, which is being developed to provide positive changes to our customers’ everyday lives.”
Sungwon Jee, Senior Vice President and Global Chief Marketing Officer at Hyundai Motor Company
So what?
The campaign film started with an interview with a visually impaired American woman, Pearl Outlaw, along with her mother, Ruth.
As expected, Pearl’s Retinitis Pigmentosa condition impedes her from getting a driver’s license. She highlighted the significance of self-driving cars for people like her to achieve some sense of independence and freedom.
Kandice Jones, who tested the Hyundai Ioniq 5 Robotaxi in LA, highlighted how she failed numerous students seeking to obtain a driver’s license to protect the public from potential road accidents.
“I’m a DMV Certified Driving Examiner with 25 years of experience. In that time, I’ve failed thousands and thousands of students in the interest of public safety.”
Ms. Kandice Jones
In contrast, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 Robotaxi impressed the team with its numerous capabilities, outperforming most human drivers, such as follows:
- speed control
- lane changes and maneuvering
- accurately stop at a stop sign
- perform left turns
- its reaction time to developing hazards
You can watch the Hyundai Ioniq 5 Robotaxi’s full campaign film below:
