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The world of high-stakes alliances between developers of tier-4 autonomous disk systems and major automakers, has recently made its mark here The reader, took another turn. According to Reuters, Hyundai Motor Group has announced the creation of a new $ 4 billion joint venture with Aptiv, the developer of automated transmission systems, derived from tier 1 supplier Delphi, creating another center of gravity major.
Hyundai Motor, Kia Motors and the Hyundai Mobis parts and service division will together inject $ 1.6 billion in cash into the new joint venture, as well as $ 400 million worth of research and development, engineering services and more. intellectual property. Half of Aptiv's investment is entirely in-kind, between its standalone drive technology and around 700 employees. Aptiv chairman for autonomous mobility, Karl Iagnemma, will lead the new joint venture.
The partnership will focus on "developing scalable autonomous driving solutions," according to a Hyundai press release. Driverless testing is expected to begin next year, with a "stand-alone platform ready for production" available in 2022. This platform will be "available to robotaxi suppliers, fleet operators and automotive partners, "said Hyundai, suggesting that the company would not seek to use the resulting vehicles exclusively.
Hyundai Motor Group also recently participated in the $ 600 million Aurora B-Series investment round to create a partnership that saw the Aurora Driver system built into Hyundai's flagship NEXO hydrogen vehicle. In February 2018, five NEXO vehicles traveled 190 km between Seoul and Pyeonchang without driver commitment. Aurora and Hyundai plan to develop an autonomous platform for "a wide range of Hyundai and Kia models". It is unclear how responsibilities will be shared between the Aurora partnership and the new Aptiv joint venture, but an Aurora spokesperson said The reader this
Hyundai is both an excellent partner for Aurora and an investor in the company. Our collaboration in the development of autonomous pilot platforms and services using the Aurora pilot is progressing as planned.
The Aptiv joint venture comes as automakers and startups are consolidating their autonomous development efforts, as global auto sales and venture capital investments in autonomous drive technology are slowing. As cost estimates for autonomous vehicle deployments increase and deployment times are lagged, companies pool their resources in the hope of developing technology more affordably. Ford and Volkswagen are now partners at Argo, GM and Honda are both investing in Cruise Automation (with Softbank), Toyota is coming closer with Uber ATG and Aurora has juggled partnerships with Volkswagen, the Hyundai Group and Fiat Chrysler. Place Aptiv in the ranks of the main partnerships. Alphabet Waymo has entered into vehicle supply agreements with Fiat Chrysler and Jaguar, but a closer partnership with the Nissan-Renault Alliance is emerging as a major deal.
The big question that hangs over the technological space of autonomous disk consolidation is what Softbank could do to consolidate its strategic position. With huge investments in Cruise and Uber ATG, Softbank has split its chips into two larger partnerships and, with its Vision Fund now under pressure as WeWork's IPOs dragged on, it could be inclined to choose one of the sides or to try to combine them. . Sources in the technological space of autonomous disks The reader that the fears of a softbank financed "super group" are one of the reasons for the current phase of intense consolidation.
But even if Softbank does not move further, expect consolidation to continue, but perhaps less in the form of major partnerships with developers and OEMs, and more in the form of "small businesses" acquired by bigger actors. With venture capital investors gradually using stand-alone hard drive technology, many companies in the sector are lacking leads from many sources and rumors of rumors of potential deals. Competition for talent continues to be a major theme, which means that buying small but very poor businesses has become an increasingly viable way to reach the best talent.
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