South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Group on Wednesday opened an innovation center in Silicon Valley, California, accelerating its efforts to move ahead of its rivals in the race to develop mobility, artificial intelligence (AI), and robot technologies.

According to Hyundai Motor Group that owns the country’s two largest automakers Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp., Hyundai Cradle will be an open innovation center that pursues innovation in future core technologies such as AI, mobility and connected services, autonomous driving, smart cities, and robotics. In particular, the new center will aim to provide groundwork in creating new businesses focusing on boosting synergy between robotics and future mobility convergence.

The new center is an expansion of Hyundai Ventures, the conglomerate’s first overseas office that has focused on venturing and innovation.

Hyundai Motor Group’s new innovation center will evaluate new technologies developed by Korean startups through its independent verification system and cultivate them into feasible business models with investment and joint technology development. The center will also provide consulting and investment services to Korean startups wishing to advance into Silicon Valley.

Hyundai Motor Group said Hyundai Cradle will help it connect with promising startups in Silicon Valley and allow the conglomerate to promote partnerships with them.

An unnamed official from Hyundai Motor Group said that the innovation center will help it forge alliances and joint research and development projects with local innovative companies to stay competitive in future mobility technology. The conglomerate plans to open more similar innovation centers overseas such as in Israel, the official said.

Earlier this month, the company announced it would open a research and development center, dubbed Open Innovation Center, in Israel early next year to develop future car technologies and discover local startups armed with promising mobility and AI technologies. In September, the company that shows an avid interest in future mobility technology also opened its first global data center in China.

By Lee Seung-hoon and Lee Eun-joo

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