Hyundai CRADLE is the center for technologies, including mobility services, smart cities, artificial intelligence (AI), advanced materials, eco-friendly energy, robotics, and new platforms. Here are the details about Hyundai CRADLE.
Back in 2017, Hyundai Motor Group (HMG) announced the launch of Hyundai CRADLE, the Center for Robotic-augmented Design in Living Experiences. Formerly Hyundai Ventures, CRADLE will strengthen HMG’s core automotive business and expand into new and adjacent markets to enhance transportation on and off the road, just like actual ‘cradles do. The company also plans to expand the Hyundai CRADLE innovation concept globally.
Hyundai CRADLE For Future Innovative Technology
The carmaker opened the very first Hyundai Cradle in Silicon Valley, then four more such Open Innovation Centers, in Seoul, Tel Aviv, Berlin, and Beijing to support startups and discover future mobility technology.
Hyundai CRADLE Absorbing Silicon Valley High Techs
Silicon Valley is a symbol of high-tech companies and ventures all around the world. They are developing Artificial Intelligence and self-driving technologies related to Smart Mobility lately. Hyundai CRADLE Silicon Valley, established in 2017, is investing in potential startups and even working on creative projects itself.
One of the remarkable outcomes of Hyundai CRADLE Silicon Valley would be the Elevate Concept. For its design uniquely capable of reptilian walking gaits, Elevate can climb a 1.5-meter wall, step over a gap, walk over diverse terrain, and achieve a track width, all while keeping its body and passengers completely level. Hyundai CRADLE has been working with Sundberg-Ferar on the Elevate Concept through an Open-innovation strategy, showing a new possibility of future mobility.
Hyundai CRADLE works as an open innovation business, which partners and invests extensively in prominent global startups to accelerate the development of advanced future automotive technologies. CRADLE collaborates with universities, investment companies, Venture Capitals, and numerous research groups.
Hyundai CRADLE Innovative Centers Around the World
The rest of the Hyundai CRADLE centers reside in startup-friendly cities, such as Seoul, Beijing, Tel Aviv, and Berlin, to interact with the future mobility trends.
ZER01NE Seoul is the second Innovation Center after CRADLE Silicon Valley. Since 2018, ZER01NE aims to provide an open platform for artists, engineers, and entrepreneurs to enjoy. ZER01NE not only invests in tech startups but also various other types of businesses, including art. CRADLE investing in Macaron Factory is one example. Macaron Factory will provide Hyundai Motors with total mobile automobile maintenance services including driving data.
The third center is in Tel Aviv, Israel. Israel has the most number of startups compared to the population. CRADLE Tel Aviv is working with its partners in the city center, and investing in many Israeli startups including Allegro.ai, a deep learning computer vision platform, along with security and healthcare industries.
The fourth center is located in Berlin, Germany. Berlin has been traditionally known for its manufacturing, design, and excellence in quality. Berlin is a dynamic hub with an international reputation for digital innovation and brings additional value to these historical strengths. CRADLE Berlin will identify startups that focus, amongst others, on Smart City technologies and mobility services being developed in the European region.
The last center was established in Beijing in 2019. With the opening of CRADLE Beijing, Hyundai Motor Group can expand its cooperation with leading Chinese ICT companies, competent technology startups, universities, government agencies, and investment institutions. It also announced a collaboration plan with Deep Glint, China’s leading artificial intelligence (AI) company, at the CES Asia 2018.
Hyundai CRADLE: Cradle for Open-Innovation
The Strategy & Technology Division oversees the company’s research in five future technologies. These technologies include mobility services, smart cities, artificial intelligence (AI), eco-friendly energy, and robotics. And as one of the results, Hyundai invested in SoundHound, the leading innovator in voice-enabled AI and conversational intelligence technologies, since 2011, and they began co-developing. Thanks to that, the Hyundai Veloster houses Intelligent Personal Agent, allowing drivers to identify any song on the radio. Hyundai and SoundHound is also working on developing technologies to perform speech recognition and natural language processing.
Hyundai CRADLE is working with university research teams and investment corporates, too. Since 2016, ‘The House’ at UC Berkeley and ‘The Engine’ at MIT are collaborating with CRADLE. Other startups such as Metawave and Top Flight Technologies are also co-developing with CRADLE for future mobility.
Since 2018, ‘ZER01NE Day’ by Zer01ne Seoul served as a venue to introduce creative projects and ZER01NE startups to the public. At each booth, creators and the visitors freely exchange ideas about project outcomes, and other events such as art exhibitions and liberal arts conferences also welcome the visitors.
Hyundai CRADLE for Human-centered Mobility Innovation
Hyundai CRADLE is Hyundai Motor’s corporate venturing and open innovation business, which partners and invests extensively in prominent global startups to accelerate the development of advanced future automotive technologies. CRADLE identifies newly established startups that focus, amongst others, on ‘Disruptive Innovations’.