Robotaxi fleet to include Hyundai EVs under multiyear deal with Waymo

Hyundai Motor has entered into a long-term strategic partnership with Waymo, marking a significant collaboration aimed at integrating the South Korean automaker’s Ioniq 5 electric vehicle into Waymo’s expanding robotaxi fleet. This multiyear agreement will see the self-driving company, backed by Alphabet, equip a substantial number of Ioniq 5 EVs with its sixth-generation autonomous technology, known as the Waymo Driver, over the coming years.

Announced on Friday, the partnership will bolster Waymo’s robotaxi operations, which already involve around 700 vehicles, as part of the Waymo One service. This service is the first of its kind in the U.S., offering over 100,000 paid autonomous rides per week. The addition of the Ioniq 5 to Waymo’s fleet will further solidify the company’s leadership in the commercial robotaxi market.

Waymo’s sixth-generation self-driving technology, which has already been showcased in Geely’s Zeekr EVs, is designed to handle a broader range of weather conditions while minimizing the need for expensive sensors and cameras. This cutting-edge system will be integrated into the Ioniq 5 EVs, which will be produced at Hyundai’s upcoming “Metaplant America” in Georgia. These vehicles will come with specialized modifications, including autonomous-ready hardware and power doors, to support their use as robotaxis.

Initial road testing of the Waymo-enabled Ioniq 5s is slated to begin by late 2025, with the vehicles expected to be made available to Waymo One riders in subsequent years. Although financial details of the partnership have not been disclosed, both companies confirmed that Waymo will purchase and own the vehicles outright.

José Muñoz, Hyundai’s chief operating officer and CEO of Hyundai Motor North America, noted that this partnership marks the first step in a broader collaboration, with the potential for further opportunities between the two companies in the future. Hyundai’s team at the new Georgia facility is prepared to produce a significant number of Ioniq 5 EVs to support Waymo’s expanding operations.

Interestingly, Hyundai’s collaboration with Waymo is separate from its existing partnership with Motional, an autonomous vehicle startup created in collaboration with auto supplier Aptiv, which is also using the Ioniq 5. According to Hyundai, the deal with Waymo does not impact its work with Motional, underscoring the automaker’s diverse approach to advancing autonomous vehicle technology across multiple platforms.