Hyundai And Waymo Announce Autonomous Partnership

Google's autonomous vehicle division, Waymo, is set to add Hyundai’s IONIQ 5 electric vehicles to its growing robotaxi fleet as part of an expanded partnership.

The project will see the Korean SUVs, assembled at Hyundai’s Metaplant America EV manufacturing facility in Georgia, before being outfitted with Waymo’s autonomous technology and venturing out on U.S. roads for testing before the end of next year. Modifications will include Waymo's autonomous-ready modifications like Lidar, redundant safety hardware, and power doors.

Currently, Waymo operates a fleet of about 700 vehicles, making it the only U.S. company to run fully autonomous robotaxis that actively collect fares. The fleet presently relies on Jaguar I-PACE SUVs from Jaguar Land Rover. The Hyundai vehicles are expected to join Waymo's fleet, rather than replace current vehicles.

The announcement arrives days ahead of Elon Musk’s rescheduled reveal of Tesla’s own plans for a robotaxi, expected to feature a custom-built vehicle. Musk’s robotaxi vision could include a ride-hailing platform where Tesla owners can list their vehicles when they’re not being used, setting up direct competition with companies like Waymo, GM’s Cruise, and Amazon’s Zoox.

Meanwhile, rivals like GM’s Cruise are cautiously resuming testing with human safety drivers following a crash that led to the temporary suspension of operations. Amazon’s Zoox is also expanding its own testing with a futuristic vehicle design that notably omits traditional steering wheels and pedals.

The award-winning Hyundai IONIQ 5 offers up to 303 miles of range and features an 800-volt architecture for rapid charging. Its spacious interior should provide ample passenger room and cargo space, making it well suited to robotaxi duty.

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