Autonomous vehicles are nothing new. Most major manufacturers have at least one concept in their arsenal to try and race toward a self-driving future. Now, Hyundai boldly steps forward with its Autonomous Ioniq Concept car, unveiled at the Automobility LA at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
From the outside, it looks like an ordinary Ioniq hybrid. However, this concept vehicle hides a few surprises—literally. Chief among this is the hidden LIDAR detection system placed on the front bumper. This enables it to “see” better, as opposed to those systems mounted on the vehicle’s roof. Moreover, such placement makes it easier to detect surrounding vehicles, objects, and even people.
Aside from the hidden LIDAR, the Autonomous Ioniq also boasts of Forward-facing Radar, three cameras to help detect pedestrians, a GPS antenna, Blind Spot Detection system, and High definition mapping. Hyundai didn’t really need to do too much to the concept vehicle as it uses the production car’s existing Smart Cruise Control, Lane Keep Assistance, autonomous emergency braking, and the like to help the Autonomous Driving system perform better.
Earlier this year, Hyundai Motor earned a license to test self-driving vehicles in urban settings. It will put its money to the test at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January of 2017 when it will be fielding two Autonomous Ioniqs on the mean streets of Las Vegas, Nevada. It is likewise currently testing three self-piloted Ioniqs and two autonomous Tucson Fuel Cell Vehicles at its Research and Development Center in Namyang, South Korea. These vehicles mingle with the more than 11,000 engineers and designers that roam the facility every day.
And with the new Autonomous Ioniq’s nondescript looks, it is actually hard to tell if it is a self-driver or not—until you see that no one is behind the wheel. Cool, huh?
