Hyundai Motor Group, Nvidia, and LG are forming a triangular AI autonomous driving alliance to counter Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD). Hyundai Motor Group will handle vehicles and driving data, Nvidia will provide AI computing and the autonomous driving “brain,” and LG will manage the in-vehicle digital experience, with a target of launching Level 2++ autonomous production vehicles by 2028. LG and Nvidia have begun developing a high-performance computing platform that combines Nvidia’s Drive Hyperion system with LG’s in-vehicle infotainment technology. LG Display is developing next-generation automotive displays including P2P OLED and slidable OLED. The entry of this three-company alliance into the autonomous vehicle market is expected to shake up Tesla’s current dominance.
Hyundai Motor Group, Nvidia, and South Korea’s LG are building an artificial intelligence (AI) autonomous driving ecosystem to challenge Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD). Under a division of labor in which Hyundai Motor Group handles vehicles and driving data, Nvidia provides AI computing and the autonomous driving brain, and LG manages the in-vehicle digital experience, the three companies aim to launch Level 2++ autonomous production vehicles by 2028.
According to industry sources on October 5, LG and Nvidia have kicked off a project to commercialize a next-generation AI-defined vehicle (AI DV) platform. The collaboration gained momentum after LG Chairman Koo Kwang-mo and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for strategic business cooperation at Nvidia’s U.S. headquarters in August.
AI DV is a concept that goes one step beyond software-defined vehicles (SDV), where software controls vehicle hardware, to a paradigm in which AI leads overall vehicle operations. It is a technology in which data-trained AI uses large language models (LLMs) and vision language models (VLMs) to perceive and predict surrounding conditions in real time.
The two companies have begun developing a high-performance computing (HPC) platform that combines Nvidia’s autonomous driving system “Drive Hyperion” with LG’s in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) and software capabilities.
Hyundai Motor Targets 2028 Mass Production
This collaboration is expected to bear fruit in Hyundai Motor Group’s first autonomous production vehicle. South Korea’s Hyundai Motor has previously announced plans to mass-produce Level 2++ vehicles using Nvidia technology starting in 2028. The Hyperion-based autonomous driving system to be applied to Hyundai and Kia vehicles will feature LG’s IVI technology.
A Hyundai Motor Group official said, “We are reviewing various ways to utilize LG infotainment in line with the development of production vehicles based on Nvidia’s autonomous driving system.”
Hyundai Motor Group has maintained a close partnership with South Korea’s LG Electronics in the automotive electronics sector. LG Electronics has expanded the application of its in-vehicle infotainment technology starting with the Genesis G90, followed by the GV80, G80, Kia Carnival, and EV3. For the EV3, LG Electronics also supplied an in-vehicle webOS platform that enables access to content including YouTube, Netflix, and Tving.
Collaboration Extends to Displays
There are expectations that LG will eventually supply Hyundai Motor Group with digital cockpit solutions combining IVI, software, and displays. South Korea’s LG Display, which currently supplies OLED panels for Genesis vehicles, is developing automotive displays targeting the AI DV era, including “P2P OLED” that extends from the driver’s seat to the passenger seat, as well as slidable OLED.
An industry insider said, “In autonomous vehicles, IVI is a core system that goes beyond simple navigation to integrate the entire in-vehicle digital experience, including driving information, vehicle status, weather, and music and video streaming.” The source added, “As autonomous driving levels increase, drivers will spend less time watching the road ahead, making in-vehicle displays and content platforms increasingly important.”
Will Tesla’s Market Dominance Be Shaken?
When the three-company alliance’s autonomous vehicles hit the market, changes are expected in the landscape that Tesla has dominated. Tesla ignited competition in autonomous driving software by launching FSD (Supervised) v14 Lite in South Korea in July.
This triangular alliance is significant in that each company contributes core capabilities essential for autonomous driving technology development. Hyundai Motor Group, as a global automaker, provides vehicle platforms and real-world road driving data; Nvidia supplies cutting-edge chips and software stacks for autonomous driving AI computing; and LG handles all digital interfaces that drivers and passengers experience inside the vehicle.
Demand for engineering roles in autonomous driving, automotive electronics, and vehicle software is also expected to surge. The AI DV platform development and mass production preparation process will require a wide range of technical talent, including system integration, AI model optimization, and IVI software development.
https://finance.biggo.com/news/767a83ef-623f-494b-bfc7-c7a68a920abb
