[Courtesy of Hyundai]
SEOUL, Dec. 20 (Aju News) -- To show a high level of technology, Hyundai Motor will put fuel-cell vehicles and sedans on autonomous test driving before and during South Korea's first Winter Olympics in the eastern ski resort of Pyeongchang.
Hyundai said Wednesday that it would use five fuel-cell vehicles and two "GENESIS G80" high-performance sedans to test their autonomous driving ability in Pyeongchang or on an expressway leading to the Olympic venue.
The vehicles match the level four under guidelines issued by SAE, a U.S.-based globally active automotive engineering professional association. Level four means a self-driving vehicle can perform dynamic-driving tasks even without the intervention of human drivers.
"As the official supporter of 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, we will globally promote the heat of the winter games as well as the world's top level of car technology," Hyundai said in a statement.
The company described Pyeongchang as the proving ground for G80 sedans as the town is notorious for its harsh winter weather and winding narrow roads. Autonomous driving would be carried out also on an expressway including long tunnels where GPS signals do not reach.
Fuel-cell self-driving vehicles will be used to carry athletes, Olympic officials and visitors. Anyone can subscribe to experience autonomous shuttles probably before the Olympics.
While Hyundai aims to secure core technologies related to fuel-cell driven cars and autonomous driving, global tech firms are also pushing their limits to advance related technologies. Google has tested autonomous vehicles in the United States for many years.
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
