Hyundai Motor Opens Mobility Innovation Center in Singapore... Establishing Robot-Based Electric Vehicle Production System

[Asia Economy Reporter Suyeon Woo] Hyundai Motor Company is establishing the 'Hyundai Mobility Global Innovation Center in Singapore (HMGICs),' which will be responsible for research and development (R&D) in the mobility industry in Singapore. This initiative aims to secure a proactive and sustainable growth engine for the mobility industry and to present the direction for future business.

On the 31st, Hyundai Motor announced that it recently finalized the investment decision for the construction of HMGICs in the Jurong industrial complex in western Singapore through discussions with the Singapore government. HMGICs is a new concept open innovation lab that develops and verifies new businesses and technologies to innovate the entire future mobility value chain connecting R&D, business, and manufacturing.

HMGICs, which will begin construction in May this year, will be located in the Jurong industrial complex in western Singapore, covering a site area of 44,000㎡ (13,000 pyeong) and a building area of 28,000㎡ (8,500 pyeong), with completion targeted for the second half of 2022.

Hyundai Motor plans to develop HMGICs into the world's best open innovation hub that demonstrates future mobility new businesses and expands them to the global market.

First, by combining Singapore's innovation ecosystem with Hyundai Motor Group's open innovation strategy organization, various demonstration projects related to new businesses such as 'Multi-Modal' will be conducted. Additionally, it will serve as an advanced base that creates new markets and new customers through innovative technology research covering the entire process of vehicle 'development-production-sales.'

They plan to develop a human-centered intelligent manufacturing platform incorporating artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and other technologies, and establish a small-scale electric vehicle pilot production system to verify it. Research on vehicle development technology and customer order-based production systems linked to this will also be conducted simultaneously.

◆ Open Innovation-Based Mobility New Business 'Testing Ground'

Hyundai Motor will utilize HMGICs as a strategic foothold and promote bold open innovation based on close collaboration with local Singaporean universities such as Nanyang Technological University, startups, and research institutions.

Through cooperation with local startups and global companies possessing top-tier technology, they will develop and verify new technologies that will advance the mobility industry as well as new businesses based on creative ideas.

To maximize mutual collaboration effects, Hyundai Motor will send key organizations and personnel from innovation business and R&D sectors to HMGICs to accelerate innovation. Hyundai Motor Group’s global innovation hub 'Hyundai Cradle' and AI-dedicated organization AIR Lab will also enter HMGICs together to maximize synergy in the open innovation strategy.

Cooperation with Grab, headquartered in Singapore, will also be further strengthened. Hyundai Motor and Grab have expanded their electric vehicle-based ride-hailing service from Singapore to Indonesia. Furthermore, they plan to consider conducting preliminary research on detailed projects related to the smart city initiative, which the Singapore government is emphasizing.

◆ HMGICs Equipped with Robot Production Small-Scale Electric Vehicle Pilot System

HMGICs will seek bold innovation measures for the automotive industry value chain from 'development-production-sales' and also work to secure new markets and new customers. First, by integrating advanced technologies such as AI, IoT, digital, and robotics, they will establish a human-centered intelligent manufacturing platform and present a new vision for future vehicle manufacturing.

The intelligent manufacturing platform is a production method that applies advanced and intelligent manufacturing technologies beyond general automation levels in processes such as vehicle assembly, logistics, and inspection. Once this technology materializes, workers will control robots and be deployed only in areas where human replacement is difficult, thereby improving working conditions and enhancing workplace safety and efficiency.

To this end, Hyundai Motor plans to equip a small-scale electric vehicle pilot production system within HMGICs and use it as a 'test bed' to demonstrate the intelligent manufacturing platform. Electric vehicles are analyzed to be sufficiently producible on the intelligent manufacturing platform due to having fewer parts and simpler structures compared to conventional internal combustion engine vehicles.

They will also research vehicle development technology linked to intelligent production methods. While developing vehicle design structures suitable for the intelligent manufacturing platform, they will actively introduce the 'Virtual Development Process' using virtual reality (VR).

Additionally, HMGICs will precisely verify customer-centric 'order-based production' technology that manufactures cars customized according to specifications ordered online by customers.

Hyun Bo Shin, President of Hyundai Motor, said, "HMGICs is a completely new testing ground where Hyundai Motor tests and realizes the future we envision," adding, "We will develop new concept businesses and future technologies that break away from existing frameworks by integrating Hyundai Motor’s innovation will and Singapore’s innovation ecosystem."