"Try Slow Charging" Battery Management Tightens with Electric Cars in the Virtual World

Hyundai Motor Group and Korea MS Utilize Digital Twin Platform

Hyundai Electric Vehicle Ioniq 5 (left) and the virtual image of twin electric vehicles implemented in the digital world

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Daeyeol] Hyundai Motor Group has decided to introduce digital twin technology to efficiently manage electric vehicle battery performance. Digital twin refers to the implementation of real machines or equipment in a virtual digital world, which is expected to enable more accurate prediction of battery life and customized management according to vehicle conditions.

On the 24th, the company announced that it will proceed with a project to conduct a proof of concept (PoC) to predict electric vehicle battery life and implement a digital twin platform in collaboration with Microsoft Korea. They decided to utilize a digital twin platform based on Microsoft’s cloud service (Azure) as a battery performance management solution.

Using the Ioniq 5, they created a virtual twin electric vehicle in the digital world based on various driving data collected directly from the running electric vehicle, predicting battery life for each vehicle. They aimed to improve accuracy by comprehensively analyzing information that could affect battery performance, such as charging and discharging, driving habits, parking, and driving environment, through an integrated data analysis model encompassing artificial intelligence, machine learning, and physical models.

Conceptual diagram of the 'Digital Twin' technology pilot introduced by Hyundai Motor Group and Microsoft Korea for electric vehicle battery performance management

Typical battery management systems simply calculate current performance to predict battery life. Applying digital twin technology allows for more accurate life prediction by comprehensively analyzing multiple factors based on actual vehicle driving history.

The company plans to provide customers with customized management plans for each vehicle using this technology. They also plan to implement a messaging system to help customers maintain performance well even after purchasing a new car. Examples include messages like “If you have time, try slow charging,” “Speeding affects battery life,” and “Ventilated seats are more energy-efficient than air conditioning.”

Lee Jena, head of Microsoft division, said, “This is the first case of utilizing Azure’s digital twin platform to improve electric vehicle battery performance.” Park Cheol, head of Hyundai Motor Group’s Open Innovation Strategy Office, said, “We are striving for customer-tailored battery performance management so that customers can continuously be satisfied with the product quality.”