Hyundai’s Autonomous Robotaxi Becomes a Source of Concern

Autonomous passenger transportation, a future market for many manufacturers including Hyundai, continues to be a source of concern.

Motional, the American autonomous driving joint venture of the South Korean Hyundai Motor Group and Aptiv, has postponed its plan to launch a commercial Robotaxi service in the United States from the end of 2023 to mid-next year at the earliest.

The production of the Robotaxi, based on Hyundai IONIQ 5 technology, has nevertheless started on time at the Hyundai Motor Group’s global innovation center in Singapore (HMGICS). This state-of-the-art new manufacturing facility houses a dedicated unit for this project. Motional emphasized that the delay was due to the desire for the vehicle to undergo rigorous inspections and extreme safety verification processes before beginning commercial services in 2024.

The company initially planned to begin paid operations of its robotaxi in Las Vegas, Nevada, in December. However, it decided to slow down after public opinion on robotaxis in the United States deteriorated. The General Motors (GM) subsidiary, Cruise, suspended its robotaxi service after just three months due to a series of accidents. Its CEO was even forced to resign.