Research & Development
Achieving World Class Status
To continually improve proprietary technology, Hyundai has extended extraordinary efforts in the area of research and development. This ongoing investment has enabled Hyundai to use cutting-edge technology to produce world-class products. Hyundai's Research & Development Centres focus on next generation environmental, safety and telecommunications technologies, while offering an innovative and competitive model range to secure maximum productivity.
Hyundai has built a global network of research facilities including its initial R & D Centre in Namyang, South Korea and now others in Ann Arbour, Michigan; Irvine, California; Tokyo, Japan; Frankfurt, Germany; and Mabuk, South Korea. The California Design & Technical Centre, established in 1990, creates and develops both production vehicles and cutting-edge design concepts. Several innovative vehicles have emerged from this state-of-the-art centre, including three concept roadsters, a hybrid sport utility vehicle, a cross-tourer sport utility vehicle, a luxury sedan and a sports tourer. The Centre's influence can be clearly seen in the sleek lines of the Tiburon sports coupe, the current Sonata and the all-new second-generation Santa Fe sport utility vehicle.
In March 2005, Hyundai opened its state-of-the-art, 4,300 acre Proving Ground in California's Mojave Desert. This site, together with Hyundai's new 1,744 acre manufacturing facility in Montgomery, Alabama, gives Hyundai the capability to execute every aspect of modern vehicle manufacturing - from design to testing and final assembly - in North America. The California Proving Ground is Hyundai's dedicated facility for performance and durability testing of all vehicles sold in North America.
The America Technical Centre in Ann Arbor, Michigan, opened in June 2005 as part of Hyundai's ongoing commitment to the North American market. This facility has the capability of designing and developing vehicles and is responsible for all of Hyundai's North American engineering activities. This centre also operates in conjunction with the Irvine-based Design & Technical Centre and the California Proving Ground. This integration ensures that Hyundai will only market vehicles of the most modern design that have been thoroughly engineered, developed and tested.
In September 2005, Hyundai celebrated the grand opening of the Environmental Technology R & D Center. Located on the southern edge of Seoul in Mabuk, the facility integrates research into fuel cell electric vehicles, gas-electric hybrid vehicles, and end-of-life vehicle recycling. As the new home of Hyundai's environmental research efforts, the Center is a testament to Hyundai's commitment to developing cleaner, more eco-friendly vehicles.
Hyundai's extensive R & D efforts have led to favourable reviews and numerous awards from many highly respected, independent automotive testing firms in North America. Never complacent with its achievements, Hyundai remains committed to providing world-class vehicles that over-deliver on quality, safety and design.