Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun visited the company’s autonomous driving subsidiary 42dot on Wednesday, a move seen as reaffirming the commitment to the advanced technology amid a leadership vacuum.
According to industry sources, Chung test-rode an autonomous Ioniq 6 in the Pangyo area, where 42dot’s headquarters is located. The vehicle featured the unit’s end-to-end autonomous driving system that uses a single AI model to translate raw sensor data directly into driving actions — a core pillar of the group’s self-driving strategy.
Following the test drive, Chung was said to have praised 42dot’s development progress and pledged continued support for its autonomous driving and software-defined vehicle initiatives.
Chung’s visit marked the first on-site inspection by top group leadership since former 42dot CEO Song Chang-hyun stepped down. Song was a key figure in driving the group’s self-driving ambitions, having been acquired by Hyundai in 2022.
Industry watchers interpret the move as more than a routine subsidiary review, believing it signals Hyundai’s intent to push ahead with its autonomous driving roadmap and dispel concerns about falling behind rivals, including Tesla and Waymo, in the self-driving race.
At Kia’s 80th anniversary event held earlier this month in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, Chung acknowledged such concerns: “Although Motional (the company’s self-driving joint venture in the US) is making strong progress, we are still somewhat behind, while Chinese companies and Tesla are moving quickly. But closing that gap is less important than ensuring safety, which will remain our top priority.”
Under Chung’s leadership, the group is also accelerating investment in autonomous driving. Last month, Hyundai pledged to invest 50.5 trillion won ($35 billion) in Korea between 2026 and 2030 across new growth areas, including AI-based self-driving technologies.
The group is developing its autonomous driving technology around an in-house E2E deep-learning platform known as “Atria AI,” led by 42dot and Motional, while separately leveraging Nvidia’s physical AI infrastructure for more advanced computing and simulation.
At the 2025 APEC summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, Hyundai announced plans to build an AI factory in Korea powered by 50,000 Nvidia Blackwell GPUs to support autonomous driving and other advanced technologies.
“Chung’s visit signals a strong message that Hyundai will not allow setbacks on its self-driving roadmap anymore,” said Kim Pil-su, a car engineering professor at Daelim University.
“The new 42dot CEO will have a lot on their plate, but the most pressing task will be balancing technological innovation with real-world commercialization to close the gap with rivals.”
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