Along with Toyota and BMW as the world’s major proponents of hydrogen-powered cars, Hyundai has now been steadily climbing up onto that leaderboard. Now, with the updated version of their FCEV (Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle) development study - headed to CES this year, they’re further cementing their intent to see this vision through. They will also be announcing its official production name too.
The last time we saw the FCEV, a rather unassuming Tuscon-sized SUV with a working title for a name, was at last year’s Geneva Motor Show. With the version they’re about to showcase at in Las Vegas, the exterior has - to our eyes, at least - not been touched in the slightest. However, there have been some crucial improvements made to its drivetrain and autonomous systems, though we suspect that anything beyond the previously touted 800km range would only count as bonus mileage.
A feature that has been rumoured to emerge from the South Korean company is a feature to let the driver cede control to the on-board computer while below a low speed threshold, eliminating most of the drudgery involved with most congested commutes in much the same vein as Audi’s Traffic Jam Assist.
While possible that this will be first shown on the FCEV, expect it to see first light in their production vehicles under the luxury-focused Genesis brand before trickling down to Hyundais or any offering from its sister brand, Kia. Hopefully, this will happen sooner rather than later, further democratising a feature that, for marketing and profit reasons, has remained walled off within fortress of the premium tier vehicle.
A driving factor feeling these rumours on the FCEV’s big push toward autonomous driving is the newly announced partnership with Aurora, a company whose sole focus is developing self-driving hardware and software, as well as their choice to have it appear at CES, the world’s largest tech expo.
In addition, the FCEV’s vast reserves of power means that it’s an ideal platform on which to support the various power-hungry computing and sensory hardware needed to facilitate fully autonomous driving.
Hyundai has also said recently that they aim to introduce their first vehicle capable of driving itself, one that’s presumably within reach for the average mass market buyer, will arrive as early as 2021. While other automakers are vocal about the need to not rush into full autonomy in favour of a rigorous development and testing process, Hyundai seems to be fairly confident that they can deliver a worry-free (Level 4) system far sooner.
For more on Hyundai cars, check out our Showroom.
