Hyundai, Singtel team up for smart factories, IoT for electric vehicles

Hyundai Motor and Singtel today signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on a range of ventures to support smart manufacturing and connectivity for electric vehicle battery subscription service. 

This develops after Hyundai Motor Group’s announcement in October 2020 that it is setting up a Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Centre Singapore (HMGICS) to conduct studies on future mobility and explore innovative solutions, services and disruptive technologies to revolutionise commuters’ transport experience.

Hyundai Motor will combine its expertise in developing innovative automotive and manufacturing solutions with Singtel’s capabilities in 5G, Internet of Things (IoT), and next-generation info-communications technologies and solutions to develop Industry 4.0 advanced digital solutions to transform the way vehicles are currently manufactured. 

The two partners will develop and pilot a 5G-enabled smart factory use case for HMGICS’ intelligent manufacturing platform, and potentially scaling it up for deployment across Hyundai’s manufacturing plants globally.

Hong Bum Jung, SVP of HMGICS at Hyundai Motor, said that aside from this project, they also hope to explore future innovative solutions and business opportunities with Singtel to help realise Singapore’s Smart Nation vision.

Further, Hyundai and Singtel will also work together on an IoT communications solution for the batteries powering Hyundai’s electric vehicles (EVs) in Singapore. 

The IoT system enables Hyundai to monitor the telemetry, or automatic data transmission, of the batteries’ real-time status and performance. The data-driven insights can enhance the EV’s reliability, advancing Singapore’s EV ecosystem and Smart Nation vision of connected and sustainable mobility solutions.

“Our collaboration with Hyundai Motor is timely given the Singapore government’s decision to phase out internal combustion engine vehicles by 2040 and the recent (national) budget announcement on new policies to encourage more Singaporeans to switch to driving electric vehicles,” said Andrew Lim, managing director of government and large enterprise at Singtel.

“By pushing the boundaries of what is possible with 5G, IoT and other advanced technologies, we also want to build up Singapore’s smart manufacturing and Industry 4.0 capabilities and strengthen its innovation ecosystem,” said Lim.

Located at Jurong West, the HMGICS is a seven-story innovation centre which covers a footprint of 44,000-square-meter and is expected to be completed by the end of 2022.