WATCH: Hyundai, Motional reveal Ioniq 5 Robotaxi’s ‘humanistic touch’

Hyundai has teamed up with Motional last year to launch the Ioniq 5 Robotaxi, an autonomous transport vehicle. Earlier this week, the South Korean automotive brand announced through a press release that it will start offering ride-hailing services using the Level-4 autonomous vehicles across major US cities starting in 2023.

It’s no secret that despite how safe these self-driving vehicles appear on paper, a few of us still hold some level of reservation in sitting inside a driverless vehicle. That said, Hyundai launched two campaign videos on its official YouTube channel showing the company’s aim for the Robotaxi: to go fully autonomous while retaining a humanistic touch. You can check out the first video here, and the second video here.

The first video, roughly a little over two minutes long, shows a female engineer working in an autonomous lab for the Ioniq 5 Robotaxi. The engineer, inspired by her childhood memories of her father always driving carefully and considerately, applies her father’s driving qualities when working on safety technologies for the Level 4 autonomous vehicle. This is reflected in how the Ioniq 5 Robotaxi stops for a cyclist, pulls over for emergency vehicles, and safely makes a left turn after yielding to oncoming traffic.

The second clip, on the other hand, reveals a robot engineer-inspired teen taking a ride in the Ioniq 5 Robotaxi with her friends after school. The kids were surprised and delighted to see that the car is driving by itself and one of her friends unbuckles his seatbelt. This causes the Robotaxi to alert the passenger to buckle up, much like a parent would, if present.

The video, per Hyundai, highlights how the self-driving Robotaxi represents a mobility solution that anyone, including teenagers, the disabled, and the elderly, can safely take a ride under any circumstances.

According to Hyundai, the Ioniq 5 Robotaxi will begin its operations in Las Vegas before expanding to major US cities.

Photos from Hyundai

Also read: 

Hyundai to expand sales of hydrogen-powered truck in US

Hyundai US rebrands program for used vehicles

Hyundai debuts 2023 Palisade at NYIAS