[Report] "Is This a Ship?" HD Hyundai's 'Future-Type Vessel' Draws Crowds Like Clouds

Introduction to Autonomous Boat Principles
Camera, Radar, and More Revealed
Im Doyoung, CEO of Abicus
"Starting with the US Market in the Second Half
Plans to Sell Leisure Boats"

A futuristic ship exhibited at the HD Hyundai booth inside the Las Vegas Convention Center, USA, on the 5th (local time). Photo by Choi Seoyoon

[Las Vegas=Reporter Choi Seoyun] On the 5th (local time) at the HD Hyundai booth in the Las Vegas Convention Center, a 10-meter-long streamlined object resembling a row of white Go stones stretched out sideways occupied the largest space in the booth. Curious visitors gathered from all directions. This spaceship-like object is HD Hyundai's futuristic ship. It was designed sleekly to minimize resistance in the sea. It was made as a 1/30 scale model of the actual size.

On the upper part of the ship, three flat rods were busily moving. They looked like boat oars but are sails (wing sails). Wing sails are eco-friendly propulsion devices that assist movement depending on wind speed and direction. The engine, the core of future ship technology, is located at the rear. At the very bottom end of the hull is a propeller. They rotate in opposite directions. This reduces propulsion loss and allows for directional changes.

A separate space was also prepared at one side of the booth to introduce in detail the operating principles of the autonomous navigation boat created by Avikus, HD Hyundai’s first in-house venture. Cameras, radar, and system operation computers installed on the autonomous navigation boat were revealed.

Im Dohyung, CEO of Avikus, said, "We plan to start selling leisure boats in the U.S. market in the second half of the year by collaborating with boat manufacturers, electronic component companies, and engine manufacturers," adding, "We have sold 260 autonomous control solutions, of which 70 to 80 units were sold to Chinese and domestic shipbuilders."

On the 5th (local time), a visitor is watching a video of the autonomous boat 'Avikus' at the HD Hyundai booth set up at the Las Vegas Convention Center in the United States. Photo by Choi Seoyoon

This year, HD Hyundai organized its exhibition hall under the group’s new vision, ‘Ocean Transformation,’ as a single story. It was divided into three major zones, symbolizing the discovery of the ocean’s infinite potential. These are Ocean Mobility, showcasing future ships; Ocean Wise, introducing marine data platforms such as smart ship solutions; and Ocean Life and Ocean Energy, presenting the latest technologies including autonomous navigation.

HD Hyundai also introduced a green marine energy ecosystem based on solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) and small modular reactors (SMR), which are being researched as future ship technologies. SOFC uses eco-friendly hydrogen produced earlier as fuel to generate electrical energy with higher efficiency and zero carbon emissions.

On the 5th (local time), visitors are touring the CES 2023 HD Hyundai booth set up at the Las Vegas Convention Center in the United States. Photo by HD Hyundai

Eco-friendly hydrogen and electricity sourced from the ocean will be supplied to mobility and industrial sites through Hyundai Oilbank’s future integrated charging stations, which have over 2,400 infrastructures nationwide.

An employee guiding visitors at the exhibition explained, "The future marine energy envisioned by HD Hyundai starts with floating offshore wind power and offshore substations," adding, "This electricity is integrated at offshore substations composed of eco-friendly high-voltage circuit breakers and transformers, preparing for transmission with high efficiency and no power loss."

Jeong Gi-seon, CEO of HD Hyundai, met with Chung Yong-jin, Vice Chairman of Shinsegae, at the HD Hyundai exhibition hall at 'CES 2023' held in Las Vegas, USA, on the 5th (local time) and took a commemorative photo. Photo by CES Press Corps

At 10 a.m. that day, as soon as the doors opened, Jung Ki-sun, CEO of HD Hyundai, visited the booth and carefully examined the exhibits. While touring the booth, CEO Jung also met Chung Yong-jin, Vice Chairman of Shinsegae, who had come to the exhibition. CEO Jung introduced future ships and autonomous navigation technologies to Vice Chairman Chung and his party.

Attending CES for the second consecutive year, CEO Jung participated the day before in the ‘Fortune Brainstorm Tech Dinner,’ where he met CEOs of Joby Aviation, an air taxi company; AI, a LiDAR specialist company; and AccuWeather, a weather forecasting company, discussing decarbonized energy technologies.