Hyundai Motor Opens Korea's Largest Driving Experience Center

Experience from Basic to Advanced Drift
Opening Ceremony in Taean, Chungnam
Chairman Chung Eui-sun and Chungnam Governor Attend
Experience Various Courses
Hyundai and Kia Vehicle Performance Pro Demonstrated

HMG Driving Experience Center

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] Hyundai Motor Group has unveiled the largest driving experience facility in South Korea. It is a space that increases customer touchpoints who enjoy driving while enabling both theoretical and practical driving education. It embodies the group's determination to lead Korea's automotive culture as the country's largest automaker.

At the opening ceremony of the ‘HMG Driving Experience Center’ held on the 7th, local political and governmental figures such as Kim Tae-heum, Governor of Chungcheongnam-do, Sung Il-jong, Member of the National Assembly (People Power Party), and Ga Se-ro, Mayor of Taean County, attended along with Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Eui-sun and Cho Hyun-bum, Chairman of Hankook & Company Group. Chairman Chung and other key attendees personally experienced various courses to celebrate the opening.

This facility is located within the Korea Technoring Test Track (1.26 million ㎡), which opened in May. It is considered the largest test track in Asia. Hyundai Motor Group built a customer-exclusive building on two floors above ground (10,223 ㎡) within the test track. It is the largest facility in the country that allows various driving experiences as well as vehicle and technology exhibitions, education, and relaxation simultaneously. The company stated, "To enable dynamic experiences, we utilize key facilities of the test track, and through the HMG Center, customers will be able to enjoy new and innovative driving experiences."

Customer-exclusive building set up at the HMG Driving Experience Center

The driving experience facility consists of eight courses. These include a braking course, a dry pavement circuit under harsh conditions, a wet pavement circuit, and a high-speed circuit. There is also a multipurpose driving course where a flat surface is laid out with courses and obstacles such as gymkhana and rubber cones arranged at regular intervals, allowing for slalom driving through zigzag patterns using acceleration, deceleration, and cornering techniques.

Additionally, there is a wet circular course that allows drifting by sliding the rear wheels, a kick plate course with steel plates installed on the floor to simulate emergency situations, and an off-road course for sport utility vehicles (SUVs) featuring slopes, gravel, and water channels.

Experience programs that allow customers to test the performance of Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis vehicles are also offered. Driving skill education is segmented by levels, from basic driving techniques to advanced skills, including limit driving experiences with professional drivers, and various surface and obstacle experiences. Participants can freely choose according to their driving level and preferences. The center also includes convenience facilities such as a lounge for customers to relax, classrooms combined with starting points for immediate vehicle boarding after theoretical lessons, exhibition spaces for new and concept cars, a circuit simulator experience area, and a store selling brand collection products.

Kumho Techno Ring built by Hankook Tire. Located in Taean, Chungnam, it is considered the largest performance testing facility in Asia. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Hyundai Motor emphasized, "While promoting the product appeal of our vehicles, we will take the lead in expanding the domestic automotive culture and its base through exhibitions where customers can experience our brand and new technologies."

The customer programs will begin operation from the 16th. With a variety of programs ranging from basic driving to high-performance vehicles, off-road, drifting, and electric vehicles, the facility is designed to accommodate 15,000 participants annually.