Hyundai Motor and Waymo have entered into a multiyear strategic partnership, which includes the addition of Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 electric vehicle to Waymo’s robotaxi fleet.
The companies announced on Friday that Waymo’s sixth-generation autonomous technology, known as the Waymo Driver, will be integrated into the Ioniq 5 in a “significant volume” over several years to support Waymo’s growing robotaxi business, which is backed by Alphabet.
This announcement follows nearly two months after Waymo introduced its latest “generation 6” self-driving technology.
This advanced technology, which will also be integrated into Geely Zeekr electric vehicles, is designed to handle a broader range of weather conditions while requiring fewer expensive cameras and sensors onboard.
Currently, Waymo operates around 700 vehicles in its fleet and runs the only commercial robotaxi service in the U.S., known as Waymo One. The service provides more than 100,000 paid robotaxi rides per week across the country.
The Ioniq 5 electric vehicles will be manufactured at Hyundai’s upcoming “Metaplant America” facility in Georgia, where they will be outfitted with Waymo’s autonomous driving technologies.
The vehicles will be delivered with specific modifications, such as redundant hardware and power doors, making them ready for autonomous use.
Initial on-road testing with Waymo-enabled Ioniq 5 vehicles is expected to begin by late 2025, with the vehicles becoming available to Waymo One robotaxi riders in the following years.
The companies have not disclosed the financial terms of the partnership but confirmed that Waymo will be purchasing and owning the vehicles.
Waymo has previously collaborated with other automotive brands, including Chrysler and Jaguar, to integrate its self-driving technology into their vehicles.
According to José Muñoz, Hyundai’s chief operating officer and CEO of Hyundai Motor North America, the integration of Waymo’s technology into the Ioniq 5 marks the beginning of what could be a larger partnership between the two companies.
“The team at our new manufacturing facility is ready to dedicate a significant number of vehicles to the Waymo One fleet as it continues to expand,” Muñoz stated. “This is just the first step in the partnership, and we are actively looking through further opportunities for collaboration.”
The Ioniq 5 is already being used by the autonomous vehicle startup Motional, a joint venture between Hyundai and auto supplier Aptiv. Hyundai noted that the partnership with Waymo will not affect its existing collaboration with Motional.
