Hyundai’s current lineup of electric vehicles is among the best in the world, with vehicles like the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 melding the best technology with stylish design and strong performance. And thanks to the automaker’s latest strategic partnership, the Ioniq 5 is about to get a lot better.
The Korean marque announced a new alliance with autonomous driving tech company Waymo, to integrate the firm’s sixth-generation self-driving Waymo Driver tech into the Ioniq 5. These vehicles will be added to the Waymo One fleet “over time.” The self-driving Hyundais will be assembled at the Metaplant America EV manufacturing plant in Georgia, the same plant where the newly facelifted Ioniq 5 will be produced.
Self-Driving Ioniq 5 EVs Hitting The Roads Soon
These cars will be pressed into duty within the Waymo fleet and will support Waymo’s anticipated growth in the coming years. On-road testing is expected to begin in late 2025, with the first production-ready vehicles hitting the road “in the years to follow.” Unlike conventional Ioniq 5 models delivered to customers, vehicles supplied to Waymo will have several differences.
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For a start, the Waymo Ioniq 5 EVs will have redundant hardware and power-operated doors for passengers. The new Ioniq 5 has a maximum targeted range of 310+ miles, which will allow for extended driving shifts on a single charge. Self-driving taxis tend to drive around urban areas for hours on end, so a strong range figure is necessary. The unchanged but well-specified and spacious interior will prove inviting to passengers.
“Hyundai and Waymo share a vision to improve the safety, efficiency and convenience of how people move. Waymo’s transformational technology is improving road safety where they operate, and the IONIQ 5 is the ideal vehicle to scale this further. The team at our new manufacturing facility is ready to allocate a significant number of vehicles for the Waymo One fleet as it continues to expand. Importantly, this is the first step in the partnership between the two companies and we are actively exploring additional opportunities for collaboration.”
– José Muñoz, President and Global COO of Hyundai Motor Company, and President and CEO of Hyundai Motor North America.
Not The First Autonomous Hyundai Ioniq 5
The idea of a self-driving Hyundai Ioniq 5 isn’t anything new. As far back as 2022, the electric crossover has been a part of Motional’s fleet, with the vehicle ferrying passengers around Las Vegas. Uber has also added an autonomous Ioniq 5 to its self-driving fleet.
It remains to be seen when exactly these vehicles will start hitting American roads, but it will be interesting to see how the public reacts to them. In recent months, self-driving vehicles have been mired in controversy, with GM-backed Cruise taking a more relaxed approach to its autonomous vehicle plans.
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