Hyundai Motor Group announced it was joining forces with Singapore telecoms company Singtel in a number of new business areas, from smart manufacturing and connected services to electric vehicles battery subscription services.
The two companies this week signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on a wide range of initiatives as construction work continued on the automaker's new R&D centre in Singapore's Jurong district which is scheduled to be completed at the end of 2022.
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The Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Centre Singapore (HMGICS) "will conduct studies on future mobility and explore innovative solutions, services and disruptive technologies to revolutionise commuters' transport experiences", the company said.
Hyundai said in a statement it would "combine its expertise in developing innovative automotive and manufacturing technologies with Singtel's capabilities in 5G, Internet of Things (IoT), next generation info-communications and Industry 4.0 advanced digital solutions designed to transform the way vehicles are currently manufactured".
The partnership would look to "develop and pilot a 5G-enabled smart factory use case for HMGICS' intelligent manufacturing platform and potentially scale it up for deployment across Hyundai's manufacturing plants globally".
Hong Bum Jung, senior vice president of HMGICS at Hyundai Motor, said: "Hyundai is delighted to work with Singtel on implementing next-generation communication solutions that will enhance mobility experiences for our customers."
Hyundai and Singtel wouild also work together on an IoT communications solution for batteries fitted to Hyundai EVs in Singapore. The system would enable Hyundai to monitor the status and performance of the batteries in real-time to help improve reliability.
Singtel's managing director for government and large enterprises, Andrew Lim, said: "Our collaboration with Hyundai Motor is timely given the Singapore government's decision to phase out internal combustion engine vehicles by 2040 and the recent budget announcement on new policies to encourage more Singaporeans to switch to electric vehicles. By pushing the boundaries of what is possible with 5G, IoT and other advanced technologies, we also want to build up Singapore's smart manufacturing and Industry 4.0 capabilities and strengthen its innovation ecosystem."
