Hyundai Ioniq 5, equipped with advanced autonomous systems, recently passed a test to prove that its computer capabilities do not fall short of those of a real-life driver. Although this is basically a public relations event, the fact that a Level 4 autonomous vehicle successfully passed the U.S. Federal Department of Transportation's driving test, which most human students fail, is of real value.
In the video published by Hyundai, Ioniq 5 robotaxis can be seen successfully completing a series of driving tests on the roads of the city of Las Vegas, simulating a process similar to a real driver's license test in the U.S.
"I am a certified driving examiner from the licensing office with 25 years of experience," said Candace Jones, the examiner who tested the robotaxi's driving ability. "In that time, I have failed thousands of students for public safety, and I will not compromise this time either."
When she returned from the test, Jones noted that the criteria she used were the same as those in a normal practical test, including maintaining and crossing lanes, coming to a complete stop, obeying traffic signs, turning left and, of course, reaction time. Each section was graded, and the robotaxi successfully passed all of them.
Hyundai has been testing an autonomous vehicle on the streets of Las Vegas since December 2022 and uses the Ionic 5to promote its innovative image. It performs the experiments through the Motional company - its joint venture with the technology company Aptiv PLC, which already has autonomous experience in Las Vegas since 2018 with other manufacturers, including BMW.
Since the beginning of the robotaxis' activity about a year ago, the service has been performed with a supervisor sitting behind the wheel, as required by law for vehicles undergoing a trial process, who can intervene when necessary. Initially the service was provided only during the day, and later also at night, and now the companies announce that the the next stage of robotaxis has arrived - without a representative in the vehicle. The service without a driver will be performed only in some Ionic 5 models and only in a limited area.
What we think: Hyundai's marketing exercise has been slightly delayed compared to the original plan that promised a driverless robotaxis as early as 2023, but considering the baseless promises that car manufacturers and advanced driving systems made about a decade ago, it is not too long a delay.
Many manufacturers are currently operating in the field, and even giants such as GM are finding it difficult to create confidence among passengers and drivers. Hyundai has undoubtedly set a high bar, but one can assume that it will soon be raised even higher by the company, or by others until the integration of a fully autonomous vehicle is commonplace.