In a significant development for the autonomous vehicle industry, Waymo LLC and Hyundai Motor Co. have announced a multi-year strategic partnership that aims to integrate Waymo's cutting-edge autonomous technology into Hyundai's all-electric IONIQ 5 SUV. This collaboration marks a major expansion of Waymo's autonomous fleet and represents Hyundai's first partnership under its new automated vehicle foundry business unit.

The partnership will see Hyundai's IONIQ 5 vehicles equipped with Waymo's sixth-generation autonomous technology, known as the Waymo Driver. These vehicles will be manufactured at Hyundai's new Metaplant America facility in Georgia, where they will undergo integration with Waymo's autonomous systems before joining the Waymo One fleet.

According to the companies, production will begin at a "significant volume over multiple years" to support Waymo One's expanding operations. Initial road testing is scheduled to commence by late 2025, with the autonomous IONIQ 5 becoming available to Waymo One riders in subsequent years.

José Muñoz, president and global chief operating officer of Hyundai Motor Co., emphasized the shared vision between the two companies, stating, "Waymo's transformational technology is improving road safety where they operate, and the IONIQ 5 is the ideal vehicle to scale this further." He also noted that this partnership represents just the first step in potential broader collaboration between the two companies.

The IONIQ 5 vehicles will come equipped with autonomy-ready modifications, including redundant hardware and power doors. Hyundai highlights the vehicle's 800-volt architecture as a key advantage, enabling fast charging capabilities that will minimize service downtime. The spacious interior design, featuring enhanced legroom, headroom, and cargo space, has been optimized for passenger comfort during autonomous rides.

This new partnership follows Waymo's recent release of its sixth-generation robotaxi technology, which includes advanced features such as 13 cameras, four lidar sensors, six radars, and external audio receivers (EARs). The company had previously integrated this technology into Geely's Zeekr vehicles and has been operating with electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicles.

The timing of this partnership is particularly noteworthy, coming as the Biden administration has proposed a 100% tariff on electric vehicles from China, up from the current 25%. While not explicitly stated, this policy shift may have influenced Waymo's decision to diversify its fleet with Hyundai's vehicles, which would not be subject to these tariffs.

For Hyundai, this partnership represents the inaugural agreement under its newly established automated vehicle foundry business unit, announced in August. Chang Song, president of Hyundai Motor Group's Advanced Vehicle Platform Division, expressed enthusiasm about partnering with "industry leader Waymo" as their first collaboration in this initiative.

However, Hyundai maintains a diversified approach to autonomous vehicle development, as evidenced by its recent $475 million investment in Motional, a joint venture with Aptiv. Despite this parallel investment, Motional's current deployment scale remains behind Waymo's extensive operations.

Waymo continues to demonstrate strong growth in its autonomous ride-hailing service, currently operating across Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Phoenix, with over 50,000 paid rides per week. This new partnership with Hyundai positions the company for further expansion while advancing the development of autonomous vehicle technology through collaboration with a major global automaker.

The alliance between Waymo and Hyundai represents a significant step forward in the commercialization of autonomous vehicle technology, combining Waymo's proven autonomous driving capabilities with Hyundai's expertise in electric vehicle manufacturing. As the partnership develops, it could play a crucial role in shaping the future of autonomous transportation.