Only last week, Lexus said that it is considering expanding its business to building jets, and now Hyundai has revealed that it, too, will take to the skies with the launch of its new Urban Air Mobility Division.
The Korean automaker has already picked the right man to lead its radical new venture. In a statement, Hyundai revealed that Dr. Jaiwon Shin has been appointed as executive vice president and head of the Urban Air Mobility Division. Dr. Shin has worked at NASA for more than 30 years, and for the past 11, led the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate where he shaped the agency’s aeronautics research and development strategy.
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What’s more, Dr. Shin co-chaired the White House National Science and Technology Council’s Aeronautics Science and Technology Subcommittee and has been presented with the Presidential Rank Award, the highest accolade presented to public officials in the U.S. government, twice.
Hyundai hasn’t shared many details about its new Urban Air Mobility Division but says it “aims to provide innovate [sic] and smart mobility solutions never seen or thought of before.”
“Having worked on cutting-edge aviation research and development at NASA for 30 years, I am very excited and humbled by the opportunity to now shape urban air mobility strategy at Hyundai Motor Group,” Dr. Shin said. “The new team at Hyundai will develop core technologies that will establish the company as a driving force in urban air mobility, a sector that is expected to grow into a market worth USD 1.5 trillion within the next 20 years.”
