Motional
The Hyundai Motor Group and Aptiv is branded as Motional. Credit: PRNewsfoto/ Motional.

The autonomous driving joint venture (JV) of Hyundai Motor Group and Aptiv is reportedly planning to conduct a large-scale recruitment this year.

According to a Bloomberg report, the JV plans to boost staffing by 45% and increase its workforce to more than 1,000 people.

The step comes when Hyundai and Aptiv unveiled the brand identity of its JV, Motional.

The venture was formed in September last year for the development of self-driving vehicles.

Motional president and CEO Karl Iagnemma said: “Motional, in all of its previous forms, has been leading driverless technology for decades. Our DNA, a combination of Aptiv’s expertise in advanced technology and Hyundai’s leadership in both vehicle manufacturing and R&D, is uniquely powerful, and positions us to fundamentally change how people move through their lives.

“What we’re building is more relevant than ever.  The pandemic has challenged the global community to rethink transportation, and governments and individuals want more and better options. We’re excited to bring driverless technology safely and comfortably into everyday life.”

Based in Boston, the US, Motional is focusing on the development and commercialisation of SAE Level 4 vehicles. The company has operations in the US and Asia.

Motional aims to start testing fully driverless systems this year and make its technology available to robotaxi providers and fleet operators in 2022.

Hyundai Motor Group executive vice-chairman Euisun Chung said: “For more than half a century, Hyundai Motor Group has been powering the dreams of people around the world.

“Motional represents the next frontier of innovation as the company pioneers a new era of safe, accessible and green transportation. We have a long history of being on the cutting edge of automotive technology and look forward to continuing that legacy with Motional.”