Hyundai Unveils Robotaxi

Hyundai unveiled a self-driving robotaxi based on its Ioniq 5 electric car on Tuesday.

The robotaxi was developed jointly with autonomous-vehicle company Motional, a joint venture between Hyundai and U.S. mobility start-up Aptiv.

Hyundai plans to showcase it at the International Motor Show that kicks off next Tuesday in Munich.

The exterior has a rotating lidar and camera and radar sensors on the roof that enable it to "see" up to 300 m ahead in 360 degrees.

"A total of 31 sensors make the vehicle aware of its surroundings and support safe autonomous driving," the carmaker said in a press release. "It comes with extra systems for navigation, steering, braking and power supply, so if a main system fails, a backup system jumps in immediately."

Hyundai plans to launch a robotaxi service in major cities in the U.S. in 2023 along with ride-sharing app Lyft.

"Motional has conducted more than 100,000 self-driving rides without any accident or malfunction," it added.