- Waymo and Hyundai have announced a strategic partnership, which will see the autonomous ride-hailing company adopt the Ioniq 5.
- The US-built EV will be equipped with Waymo’s sixth-generation autonomous driving system and road tests are slated to begin late next year.
- The Ioniq 5 will eventually be added to the Waymo One fleet and the companies aim to produce them in “significant” numbers.
Waymo and Geely joined forces in 2021 to introduce a mobility-focused Zeekr EV. The model was slated to be added to Waymo’s fleet of autonomous vehicles and effectively replace their aging Jaguar I-Paces.
While that was a solid plan a few years ago, the political climate has changed and China has emerged as America’s boogeyman. Just last week, the Biden Administration proposed a new rule that could effectively ban all Chinese cars including models from Buick and Lincoln.
More: America’s New Tariffs Could Hit Waymo’s Chinese-Built Robotaxis
Given this environment, it’s not surprising to learn that Waymo has seemingly found themselves a backup plan. It comes in the form of a “multi-year, strategic partnership” with Hyundai and the first phase will see the two companies integrate Waymo’s sixth-generation autonomous driving system – known as the Waymo Driver – into the Ioniq 5.
The EV, which is now made in America, will then be added to the Waymo One fleet. This won’t happen overnight as road tests are slated to begin in late 2025 and they’ll be available to customers “in the years to follow.”
Besides giving Waymo a ‘safe’ alternative to Zeekr, it sounds like the Ioniq 5 will eventually make up a bulk of the fleet. While that remains unconfirmed, the companies aim to produce the autonomous EVs in a “significant volume over multiple years.” The firms also revealed the cars will be delivered with “autonomous-ready modifications like redundant hardware and power doors.”
Hyundai Motor North America CEO José Muñoz said, “Waymo’s transformational technology is improving road safety where they operate, and the Ioniq 5 is the ideal vehicle to scale this further. 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. Importantly, this is the first step in the partnership between the two companies and we are actively exploring additional opportunities for collaboration.”
