Autonomous Hyundai IONIQ Concept looks like a proper car – not a school project

The Hyundai Ioniq has turned up at the Los Angeles Motor Show as an autonomous concept, demonstrating Hyundai’s progress in autonomous technology.

The Hyundai Ioniq is already at the heart of Hyundai’s efforts, arriving with a world-first of three powertrains – hybrid, plug-in hybrid and BEV – as Hyundai embrace electrification of their cars.

But the car landscape is now changing rapidly (hence Hyundai’s decision to embrace electrification despite their reservations) and beyond electrification it’s autonomous driving that’s driving industry innovation at the moment.

So with a new car offering electrification via MHEV. PHEV and BEV, what better way to demonstrate autonomous technology than here – step forward the Hyundai Ioniq Autonomous Concept, revealed at the Los Angeles Motor Show.

Hyundai are clearly chuffed to roll out their autonomous Ioniq, and want to point out that, unlike other autonomous cars, the Ioniq has its LiDAR hidden away, not on top of the car (in case you’re not keeping up with autonomous technology acronyms (maybe you have a life?), LiDAR stands for Light Imaging, Detection And Ranging).

That, according to Hyundai, means the autonomous Ioniq looks like a proper car, rather than a “High School Project”.

Hyundai’s aim with the autonomous Ioniq was to make the self-driving system as simple as possible, so they’ve used the existing Smart Cruise Control’s forward-facing radar and Lane Keeping Assist cameras to support the LiDAR technology.

Hyundai say they are currently trialing three autonomous Ioniqs and a pair of autonomous Tucson FCEVs (aren’t Hyundai’s FCEVs still ix35s?) in Namyang, South Korea, and will be arriving with tow of them at the CES in January, where they will take to Las Vegas roads.