Hyundai Motor Company will establish a Hyundai Mobility Global Innovation Center in Singapore (HMGICs) to accelerate its innovation efforts, with support from the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).
The new innovative lab will be located in Singapore’s Jurong Innovation District, a manufacturing hub developed by JTC Corporation. HMGICs will occupy a footprint of 44,000 m2 with the building area of 28,000 m2. Construction will begin in May with completion expected in second half of 2022.
The lab will explore business ideas and technologies to revolutionize a value chain encompassing R&D, business and production for future mobility solutions. It also will help define the future business direction for the company.
HMGICs will become Hyundai’s global open innovation hub. The lab, through open innovation on multiple fronts, will explore and prove new future mobility business concepts for eventual expansion into global markets.
The lab will also spearhead efforts to reach new markets and customers with “cutting-edge technologies that will transform automotive R&D, production and sales.” Combining AI, Internet of Things (IoT) and other advanced technologies, the lab seeks to create a “human-centered smart manufacturing platform that will be validated through a small pilot EV production facility.” In conjunction with the platform, “an innovative product development process and on-demand production system will be tested and proven.”
“The Hyundai Mobility Global Innovation Center is an exciting addition to Singapore’s growing Mobility ecosystem. Its focus on innovative business concepts and the development of a smart manufacturing platform, leverages the research and innovation capabilities, and the value that Singapore provides to companies that want to develop, testbed and create new solutions for the world,” said Mr. Tan Kong Hwee, Assistant Managing Director, EDB.
“HMGICs will be a testbed to explore and validate the future Hyundai is envisioning. Combining Hyundai’s innovative spirit and Singapore’s fertile atmosphere, we will develop ground-breaking businesses and future technologies,” said Bo Shin Seo, President at Hyundai Motor Company.
Hyundai, through HMGICs, will work closely with Singapore’s “forward-thinking firms and educational institutions to pursue open innovation.”
The company plans to collaborate with competitive local partners to test and validate innovative solutions for advanced mobility services. Hyundai also will pursue open innovation with world-class educational institutions such as the Nanyang Technological University by conducting joint projects as well as co-founding separate research centers.
The lab also will test a service using multiple modes of transport, as well as on-demand shuttle and last-mile mobility via e-scooter. In addition, Hyundai will review a potential collaboration on a pilot study for Singapore’s Smart City project.
HMGICs will expand new business opportunities proven in Singapore to global markets.
As part of the project, HMGICs will establish a small-scale pilot EV production facility as a testbed for human-centered manufacturing platform. EV production is especially suitable for a smart manufacturing platform, because EVs have fewer parts compared to vehicles with internal combustion engines.
In addition, HMGICs will test an on-demand production system, allowing customers to build their vehicles with a wider range of customization options.
At HMGICs, Hyundai also aims to study new methods of vehicle development conducive to smart manufacturing while further increasing use of virtual reality (VR) technology in the vehicle development process.
