Hyundai, Kia and Hwaseong City test self-driving system

Hyundai, Kia and Hwaseong City set up a communication system to encourage self-driving implementation. Two South Korean automobile giants announced the construction of a communications device called the V2X system in Hwaseong City as part of their plan to deploy autonomous car technology and conduct tests in the near future and commercialize by 2020.

Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp. said it had set up an autonomous vehicle system spanning 14 kilometers including seven intersections at Hwaseong located south of Seoul. Both companies will conduct detailed research to verify, effectiveness and safety of the system as the realization of future mobility.

The V2X system allows each vehicle to exchange information in real-time with roads, lights, other vehicles and pedestrians. This information is very important for autonomous cars to complement navigation by onboard cameras, radar and other sensors in bad weather conditions.

The sophisticated system utilizes special signal relay stations and closed-circuit TVs that are placed along the way. Hyundai and Kia said they had an agreement with Hwaseong City late last year for V2X installations that have been involved since June 2016.

Hyundai and Kia collect data from V2X at the end of the year so they make changes and correct the detected flaws. The data will be used for organized infrastructure projects that allow cars to communicate with each other on the highway for commercialization by 2020.

V2X system technology is expected to improve safety in driving not only cars without drivers, but also on conventional cars. The system will alert the driver about the possibility of a collision when crossing a junction or when a car in front makes a sudden brake.

Wireless access allows for stable communication between the vehicle and roadside infrastructure at high speed. Vehicles for testing have V2X display panels, head-up displays, instrument clusters and navigation systems to display images and sound alarms.