According to Automotive News Canada, Brian Latouf, the global chief safety officer at Hyundai, has announced that the South Korean automaker is almost at the Level 3 self-driving stage, as he emphasized the company’s intense focus on achieving this goal and doing it right.
Mercedes-Benz currently holds the distinction of being the only automaker to achieve Level 3 self-driving capability, having received approval from the state of Nevada for its Drive Pilot semi-autonomous driving technology last month.
According to Brian Latouf,, the automaker is edging closer to achieving Level 3 self-driving capabilities and is intensely focused on doing so correctly. While Mercedes-Benz is currently the only automaker to have attained Level 3 capability, additional states like California are expected to certify the technology soon. Hyundai aims to begin deploying its Level 3 system in its home country of South Korea. With the race to develop advanced autonomous driving technology heating up, it’s no surprise that Hyundai is working hard to achieve this significant milestone in self-driving capabilities.
Hyundai is considering introducing a Level-3 autonomous driving system for highways in the Korean market, with certain speed limitations. However, the technology is not yet ready for production, as safety and advanced data analytics still require fine-tuning.
The company has a structured process to investigate potential safety risks and recalls, and will seek regulatory approval in North America while working closely with safety agencies. Hyundai is constructing a $5.16 billion Safety Test and Investigation Laboratory in Michigan for US market testing, and it is speculated that one of its EVs, such as the Ioniq 5 or Ioniq 6, will be among the first to receive the Level 3 system.
Motional, Hyundai’s mobility subsidiary, is testing the Ioniq 5 as a robotaxi in Las Vegas and with Uber. However, it is unclear how Hyundai will balance its relationship with Motional and its in-house-developed Level 3 technology, especially given that Motional has recently downsized its workforce due to financial difficulties.
