Seoul International Motorshow Archives

Hyundai unveils Fuel Cell Concept at Seoul Motorshow

At the ongoing Seoul International Motorshow, Hyundai has also unveiled its stab at the hydrogen powered vehicle of tomorrow. Dubbed the Future Eco (FE) Fuel Cell Concept, the car is meant to provide a glimpse at the actual production ready vehicle, which will be launched in February next year.

This unveiling hints at the possibility of realizing the Korean automakers’s hopes of becoming a global leader of manufacturing mass-produced hydrogen vehicles of tomorrow. The new car, when launched, will feature advanced driver assistance technologies and a respectable 800km range on a tank of hydrogen.

Apart from that, the car will also have clever tech to aid occupant comfort, convenience and safety. One such feature is the ability of this vehicle to take the byproduct of its fuel cell process, which is water, and use it for its air humidifier in the cabin. The added moisture should provide occupants with better levels of comfort especially on long journeys.

But that wasn’t the only tech on display, besides the Smart House concept that blurs the line between the mobility of a car and practicality offered by a house, Hyundai’s VR take on the futuristic Ioniq was also intriguing. The automaker had Virtual Reality simulators at their stand which allowed visitors to peer into the abilities of an autonomous Ioniq. The simulator demonstrates how the actual car can behave with advanced auto-piloting capabilities through the use of its many sensors and radar systems.

Hyundai says that the autonomous Ioniq is one of few such vehicles to have its self-driving systems integrated into the front bumper instead of the big bulky ones placed on the roof of some mainstream automakers’ prototypes. The company will be able to accomplish this by integrating the new systems with existing ones which include Smart Cruise Control’s forward facing radar and Lane Keeping Assist cameras.

Expect more from the Korean giant in the future but until then, its most cherished vehicle here in Malaysia is the hybrid Ioniq which blends both electric and petrol power to offer better efficiency and emissions.

Hyundai reveal new smart connected services

At the ongoing Seoul International Motorshow in South Korea, Hyundai revealed a slew of interesting projects that might come to frustration within the next couple of years. Part if its future mobility strategy, the automaker demonstrated a suite of connected technologies that might find its way into its actual vehicles and help to make things a little more convenient of its customers.

“Controlling vehicles via voice assistant is something that could become common-place in the not-too- distant future,” said Seung-Ho Hwang, Executive Vice President and head of Auto Intelligence Division at Hyundai Motor Company. “We are working with various companies in Korea and around the world to ensure that all of our platforms are compatible and that Hyundai customers will be able to interact with the Internet of Things in ways that have never before been possible.”

The company’s in-house developed Connected Car Service Platform (ccSP) will allow owners of Hyundai vehicles to connect ‘seamlessly’ to other Internet of Things (IoT) services making their daily lives just that much more convenient. There are two systems that are at the heart of Hyundai’s platform which are Home to Car and Car to Home.

Home to Car will allow drivers to interact with their vehicles with just their voice. Through voice commands, they will be able to start up their vehicle as well as close and open its doors.

Car to Home on the other hand, will allow them to operate devices at home such as lighting, climate control and audio systems, while in their vehicles and on their journey home. The Home to Car service is slated for a 2018 release while the Car to Home service will be made available the following year.

Besides this, Hyundai also revealed its Connected Car roadmap that outlines a number of objectives that will ensure smart connected technologies offer better convenience and efficiency to their customers. With Proactive Caring, this system regularly monitor’s the vehicle’s diagnostics and allow for the diagnosis of potential problems and even allow for remote proactive maintenance of vehicles.

Then there’s Smart Convenience. A system that provides vehicles with regular updates to ensure that the software being run is of the latest version with all the proper security updates. Connected Efficiency builds upon this service by making sure connectivity-reliant systems are updated at the most convenient time such as when the vehicle is charging. It can also provide guidance, information or warnings to drivers when necessary. It will be able to check on the weather and let you know when conditions will be favorable for you to have your car washed.

Lastly, Cost Efficiency is a system that will provide cost-saving suggestions to drivers. It will analyse driving patterns and fuel economy then recommend the routes that offer the best fuel consumption or battery life. It will also help to provide a more accurate ‘distance to empty’ figure.

Hyundai’s new systems aren’t that far off and are confident that these technologies should find their way into their upcoming vehicles in the next few years.

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