Hyundai has denied reports that it has partnered with Chinese technology firm Tencent to develop self-driving vehicle software, but admits it is indeed working with the company.
Two days ago, it was reported by South Korea’s Maeil Business Newspaper that Hyundai and Tencent had signed a preliminary deal to develop autonomous vehicle software. The two companies reportedly made the agreement on the sidelines of a recent business forum held in Seoul on Thursday April 4.
As part of the agreement, the companies would reportedly conduct joint research and development on safety and security systems for self-driving cars.
Neither company commented on the initial reports, but Hyundai has since asserted that it has not signed a deal with Tencent regarding software for autonomous vehicles, Reuters reports. Instead, the automaker says that its cooperation with Tencent is focused solely on infotainment systems.
Despite the conflicting reports, it is no secret that Hyundai is powering ahead with plans to develop autonomous driving systems. In late March, for example, it signed a memorandum of understanding with Russia’s Yandex to develop the software and hardware needed for autonomous car systems. Statements released by the companies revealed plans “to create a self-driving platform that can be used by any car manufacturer or taxi fleet.”
“This is our first partnership, and a clear validation of the intensive development of our self-driving platform. We have already performed thousands of rides in our autonomous taxi service fulfilled without a driver in the driver’s seat,” said head of Yandex’s self-driving car efforts, Dmitry Polishchuk, after the agreement was signed.
