>
The lightweight,
electrically-powered
IONIQ scooter is
stored and charged
in the front door of
the IONIQ Electric.
F O C U S 9
port of policy makers to develop a
supportive regulatory framework.
As such, we fully support the European
Automotive-Telecom Alliance,
which was launched in Paris in September
last year and brings together
all the leading players in this field.
‹F.›: In addition to the advancement
of technology and a new generation
of demanding customers, you identified
the aging society as the main
driver behind your vision for “Future
Mobility”. What are your solutions
for an aging mobile society?
‹Dr. Yang›: We are currently focusing
on three building blocks. The
first one is the IONIQ Scooter, a
portable mobility device that allows
customers to easily reach their final
destination. The lightweight, electrically
powered scooter can be stored
and charged in the front door of the
IONIQ Electric, with an easy onetouch
folding structure for maximized
portability. The scooter is the
result of a study into alternatives for
‘first-and-last mile mobility’, and is
another innovation of our research
and development program around
the Project IONIQ, which works
to redefine future mobility through
innovation.
The second building block is our
“Health + Mobility Concept”: We
are considering how better in-car
conditions might contribute to the
management of stress levels and associated
consequences of commuting.
In the near future, a series of sensors
throughout the car could monitor
» TO ANSWER TO
THE NEEDS OF A NEW
GENERATION OF CUSTOMERS,
I BELIEVE WE
NEED TO INVEST IN
CONNECTED CARS AND
HYPER-CONNECTED
CAR PLATFORMS. «
DR. WOONG CHUL YANG,
Vice Chairman of Hyundai Motor Company
and Head of Hyundayi R&D Center
the physical and mental state of the
driver, detecting everything from the
driver’s posture to their respiratory
rate and breathing depth. Also, the
car could measure heart-rate variability
for stress response, and use
eye tracking and facial feature recognition
to track alertness and emotional
state.
Finally, we are looking beyond the
scope of automotive technology. We
are working on advanced, assistive
exoskeletons for medical, work and
daily life. Wearable robots are set to
revolutionize the future of personal
mobility. So our ambition is to provide
assisted-mobility support beyond
the automobile for the wellbeing
of customers. <