AUTO

Autonomous Driving and Self-Driving Cars Are Closer Than You Think and Hyundai Is All In

February 10, 2025

Waymo’s autonomous driving tech will be installed in Hyundai’s IONIQ 5, launching in their ride-hailing fleet.
The self-driving IONIQ 5s will be built in Georgia before getting Waymo’s modifications.
Initial testing begins in 2025, with rider availability in the years following.

94% of car crashes are caused by human error. What if we took humans out of the driver’s seat? That’s exactly what Hyundai and Waymo are working on.

Autonomous driving has been “coming soon” for years. Every few months, another car brand makes headlines with self-driving promises, yet most of us are still white-knuckling our way through rush-hour traffic. But Hyundai and Waymo just made a deal that could actually put more driverless cars on the road.

Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 all-electric compact SUV, is getting Waymo’s self-driving technology and will soon join the Waymo One ride-hailing fleet. Testing begins in 2025, and if everything goes as planned, you could be catching a ride in one before the decade ends.

“We are thrilled to partner with Hyundai as we further our mission to be the world’s most trusted driver,” said Tekedra Mawakana, co-CEO of Waymo.

So, what does this mean for you? And should you trust an AI with your commute?

Waymo’s Self-Driving Hyundai Sees More Than You and Never Gets Distracted

Waymo’s autonomous system, called the Waymo Driver, is essentially a digital chauffeur with no bad habits – no texting, no road rage, no running red lights because it’s “just turning pink.” It uses a combination of LIDAR, cameras, and radar to analyze its surroundings in real-time, predicting movements and adjusting accordingly.

Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 is an ideal candidate for this because of its long range, ultra-fast charging, and spacious design. The self-driving versions will come with special modifications like redundant hardware and power doors to make them fully autonomous-ready.

“Waymo’s transformational technology is improving road safety where they operate, and the IONIQ 5 is the ideal vehicle to scale this further,” said José Muñoz, Hyundai’s global COO.

In simple terms, this car sees more than you do, reacts faster, and doesn’t get distracted.

Self-Driving Cars Are Here to Stay

Good question. Some people still don’t trust autonomous driving, but Waymo already operates driverless taxis in places like Phoenix and San Francisco. The more people use them, the more comfortable they become. And let’s not forget that most people didn’t trust elevators without operators at first, either.

Hyundai and Waymo are planning to produce a fleet of self-driving Ioniq 5s over multiple years, proving they’re betting on this tech long-term.

“Hyundai and Waymo share a vision to improve the safety, efficiency, and convenience of how people move,” Muñoz added.

Self-driving cars aren’t going away.

Should You Trust a Self-Driving Car?

It’s normal to be skeptical. But considering human drivers cause 94% of all crashes, autonomous cars are designed to reduce that number dramatically.

Hyundai and Waymo are working together to make self-driving cars a reality. One day, your car might do all the driving for you, and with any luck, traffic will be a little less frustrating.