Waymo Partners with Hyundai to Add EV Robotaxis to Its Fleet

The American autonomous driving technology company Waymo announced this Friday a multi-year partnership with the South Korean automaker Hyundai to integrate Waymo Driver and add Hyundai’s all-electric IONIQ 5 SUV to the Waymo One fleet.

“We are thrilled to partner with Hyundai as we further our mission to be the world’s most trusted driver,” said Tekedra Mawakana, co-CEO, of Waymo. “Hyundai’s focus on sustainability and strong electric vehicle roadmap makes them a great partner for us as we bring our fully autonomous service to more riders in more places.”

The agreement involves multiple phases, including manufacturing and testing. The companies will assemble the robotaxis in the United States, in Georgia, at the manufacturing facility of Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) for multiple years with “significant volume.” The first testing for the brand-new vehicles will begin by the end of next year.

“Waymo’s transformational technology is improving road safety where they operate, and the IONIQ 5 is the ideal vehicle to scale this further,” said José Muñoz, president and global COO of Hyundai Motor Company, and president and CEO of Hyundai Motor North America. “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.”

Waymo also recently announced a new partnership with Uber to order robotaxis through the ridesharing app in Austin, Texas, and Atlanta, Georgia. Waymo has been quickly expanding across the United States and has deployed its autonomous vehicles in other cities like San Francisco, Phoenix, and Los Angeles.