Hyundai's Idea Festival delivers mobility-enhancing technologies

Researchers and employees of Hyundai Motor and Kia showcased innovative mobility technologies at the Idea Festival, including a digital side mirror that understands sign language and a haptic navigator for visually impaired individuals.

Hyundai Motor Group chief technology officer Kim Yong-wha, center, poses for a photo with the winners of this year's Idea Festival held at the Hyundai Namyang R&D Center in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, on Friday. [HYUNDAI MOTOR]

How can mobility technology make the world a better place?

From a digital side mirror that understands sign language to an electronic device that lets the user know when a bus arrives, researchers and employees of Hyundai Motor and Kia answered the question with innovative ideas at this year’s Idea Festival.

In its 14th year, Hyundai Motor Group’s Idea Festival is an annual event where Hyundai Motor and Kia employees compete with new ideas for mobility-related technologies and services.

This year’s edition took place at the Hyundai Namyang R&D Center in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, under the theme of “heartwarming technologies that would change the world,” with Hyundai Motor Group chief technology officer (CTO) Kim Yong-wha in attendance as one of the judges.

There were a total of 15 contestants in the final round held on Friday, including five teams from Hyundai Motor Group’s Chinese research institutes.

Nine teams competed in the product proposal segment where they had to make prototypes of the innovative products they were putting forward, and six teams competed in the scenario segment with their ideas for new mobility technology.

In the product segment, the winning team presented its “haptic navigator,” an electronic device that aids people with visual impairment use public transportation through voice recognition technology, and an electric cane that helps navigate taking a bus via vibration signals.

In the scenario segment, the winning idea was a new micro-mobility transportation system that allows people in wheelchairs to connect their wheelchairs to electric scooters, enhancing mobility.

The winner of the product segment was awarded 10 million won ($7,482) and a chance to visit the next CES tech fair. The scenario segment winner was awarded 5 million won and an opportunity to travel to Asian countries for tech tours.

“The Idea Festival is the result of our employees’ deliberation about how mobility can be a force for good,” said Kim, adding that “in order to foster a creative research environment, [it] will continue to run and expand such spaces for new ideas.”

BY SHIN HA-NEE [shin.hanee@joongang.co.kr]