Hyundai Motor strives to build soft power amid faster shift to connected mobility

South Korea’s largest automaker Hyundai Motor Co. is heavily vying to win over software engineers to build up its IT prowess amid faster shift in mobility technology.

According to data compiled by Maeil Business Newspaper on Tuesday, 79.5 percent of all 186 job openings on Hyundai Motor website were for software, artificial intelligence, electrification and other IT engineers and developers.

The newly formed advanced technology division for future cars, electrification, software and AI research and AIRS Company engaging in AI technology development opened 45 and 33 job postings, taking up 42 percent of all, showing how eagerly Hyundai Motor is seeking expansion in IT staffing.

Even the headquarters also is looking for IT related strategic planning experts and talents in simulated hacking and response to information security damage.

“Cars used to be considered as the top of mechanical engineering, but the technology is shifting focus to software. Hyundai Motor in response is aggressively hiring more software experts,” said Cha Doowon, CHA Mobility Research Institute.

Global finished carmakers are also actively seeking to secure IT experts.

[Photo by MK DB]

Volkswagen Group announced its plan to increase its IT staffing to 10,000 by 2025 from current 4,000, and Mercedes-Benz has already added 3,000 for its own software development center Electric Software Hub launched in April.

Stellantis will beef up its IT staffing to 14,500 by 2024 from current 10,000. Toyota has begun to allot 40-50 percent of all new jobs to software majors from this year to increase its IT staffing to 18,000 from 3,000.

Hyundai Motor is estimated to have hired hundreds of software engineers and developers. In Korea, IT developers mostly are employed by platform giants including Naver, Kakao and Baedal Minjok and thus, Hyundai Motor has been steadily adding talents. The industry expects the company would increase the number by 3,000 to develop into an IT-based carmaker.

Finished carmakers are in active in securing automotive operating system (OS) in a heated race to develop automotive software.

Volkswagen has developed own vehicle OS dubbed ‘VW.OS’ to enable integrated control, Toyota ‘Arene,’ and Mercedes-Benz ‘MB.OS.’ Volvo, Honda and Ford announced that their cars will be supported by Google Android-based ‘Google Automotive’ OS.

[ⓒ Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]