Unlike nearly every other automaker, Hyundai has kept relatively quiet about the development of its autonomous driving technology. But at an event today in Seoul, the automaker announced plans to introduce its first round of self-driving technology beginning later this year.
Hyundai will fit a Highway Driving Assist (HDA) system to the Equus in the second half of this year that will combine radar-assisted cruise control with lane keeping and navigation-based speed warnings. But that’s just the first step.
“We aim to provide partially automated driving in 2015, highly automated driving in 2020 and fully automated driving in 2030,” a senior Hyundai official told the Korea Herald at the event.
The measured roll-out of self-driving features will include a traffic jam assist system for low-speed situations, similar to what Mercedes and Infiniti have offered, and eventually a more robust system for freeway driving “which will ‘maximize’ the safety for drivers in numerous road conditions.”
However, Hyundai’s U.S. arm tells Jalopnik:
HMC just announced that they plan to offer a commercial version of autonomous driving by 2020. Korea is slated to be the first market to offer the technology. It’s too early for details and we cannot comment about how or when such technology might be seen in the U.S. market.
Left hand, meet right hand. In the meantime, here’s a reminder of what Hyundai is after:
Contact the author at damon@jalopnik.com.
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