2012 Hyundai Veloster Loaded Navigation Camera Voice Pan Roof Keyless 1 Owner on 2040-cars

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Hyundai takes fully autonomous fuel cell vehicles on 70 mph road trip

Hyundai has announced three test vehicles based on its upcoming NEXO fuel cell vehicles, fitted with Level 4 autonomous technology, have completed a trial journey of 118 miles from Seoul to Pyeongchang across the Korean peninsula completely autonomously. It's a world first for fuel cell powered vehicles to reach Level 4 autonomous driving, which translates as "mind off" driving with no driver input needed. One of the interesting things about the NEXO fleet's trial is that it was performed in regular traffic at public highways, at speeds up to nearly 70mph. Earlier autonomous car testing in Korea has been performed on selected sections of road and at lower speeds than the highest allowed Korean highway speed reached in this trial. Hyundai says the test drive included following the traffic's flow, completing lane changes, and even handling motorway toll booths — and that the only human intervention needed was pressing "Cruise" and "Set" buttons on the three cars' steering wheels, to put them in autonomous mode. The NEXO has been designed as a hydrogen fuel cell car from the ground up, instead of the earlier, ICE-based Tucson FCEV. Hyundai claims a target range of 500 miles (NEDC) for the NEXO, for a single, five-minute hydrogen charge, and a system efficiency of 60 percent. On the run to CES from L.A. last month, Hyundai declared a real-world range of 360 miles for the tested NEXO; the 120-kW motor takes the fuel cell crossover to 60 mph in 9.9 seconds. The vehicles used in the South Korean trial use a combination of radar, lidar and cameras to monitor their surroundings, and some of these systems are already used in production Hyundai vehicles. At CES, Hyundai announced its partnership with Aurora Innovation, which is a Silicon Valley startup set up by former Alphabet Inc and Tesla engineers; the autonomous NEXOs are likely to feature Aurora's input. Hyundai sees commercialization of Level 4 vehicles taking place in 2021, though only in what it calls "pilot smart cities," or locations tailored to be connected enough to make the implementation of autonomous tech easier. "Fully" autonomous driving would be at commercial level by 2030. As for the vehicle itself, it features virtual assistant technology that is complemented with noise canceling to further turn the NEXO into a cocoon-like pod; there's also "Home Connect" tech which enables the passengers to use smart home gadgets remotely during their commute. Related Video:

BMW, Hyundai score big in JD Power's first Tech Experience Index

While automakers are quick to brag about winning a JD Power Initial Quality Study award, the reality, as we've pointed out before, is that these ratings are somewhat misleading, since IQS doesn't necessarily distinguish genuine quality issues. JD Power's new Tech Experience Index aims to solve that problem. The new metric takes the same 90-day approach as IQS but focuses exclusively on technology – collision protection, comfort and convenience, driving assistance, entertainment and connectivity, navigation, and smartphone mirroring. It splits the industry up into just seven segments, based loosely on size, which is why the Chevrolet Camaro is in the same division (mid-size) as Kia Sorento and the Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class is in the same segment as the Hyundai Genesis (mid-size premium). It makes for some screwy bedfellows, to be sure. Still, splitting tech experience away from initial quality should allow customers to make more informed and intelligent decisions when buying new vehicles. In the inaugural study, respondents listed BMW and Hyundai as the big winners, with two segment awards – the 2 Series for small premium and the 4 Series for compact premium, and the Genesis for mid-size premium and Tucson for small segment. The Chevrolet Camaro (midsize), Kia Forte (compact), and Nissan Maxima (large) scored individual wins. Ford also had a surprising hit with the Lincoln MKC, which ranked third in the compact premium segment behind the 4 Series and Lexus IS. This is a coup for the Blue Oval, whose woeful MyFord Touch systems made the brand a victim of the IQS' flaws in the early 2010s. But Ford and other automakers might not want to celebrate just yet. According to JD Power, there's still a lot of room for improvement – navigation systems were the lowest-rated piece of tech in the study. Instead, customers repeatedly saluted collision-avoidance and safety systems, giving the category the best marks of the study and listing blind-spot monitoring and backup cameras as two must-have features – 96 percent of respondents said they wanted those two systems in their next vehicle. But this isn't really a surprise. Implementation of safety systems from brand to brand is similar, and they don't require any input from users, unlike navigation and infotainment systems which are frustratingly deep.

2019 Hyundai Veloster N Review | Testing Hyundai's hottest hatch in America

WILLOWS, Calif. — Turn 5 at Thunderhill Raceway is notorious, with an uphill approach that launches you toward a blind crest. As you reach the top you see an off-camber curve sweeping off to the right as it drops 1.5 stories before you. And it's at that very moment the car peaks and becomes momentarily weightless. This is where I, and the 2019 Hyundai Veloster N, came in too hot over the summit. As the asphalt dropped away in front of me I expected the Veloster N, pulled by momentum and gravity, to rocket straight into the sand ahead. But then a strange thing happened. The inside wheel tucked in as I yanked the wheel rightward, the nose jerked starboard, and the Veloster N hunkered down and pulled me through the turn like a loyal sled dog. This is evidence that the Veloster N is very much the spiritual successor to the inexpensive, tossable, front-drive compact heros of a generation ago. Race tracks swelled with Acura Integras, Nissan Sentra SE-Rs, Toyota Celicas, and the like. You could drive them to work like a responsible citizen during the week, and autocross every weekend. The Veloster N is a key part of the final phase of Hyundai's grand plan in the U.S. market. In the late 1980s, they entered the market with rock-bottom prices but not much else. By the 2000s, a focus on quality led to the 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty. And by the 2010s, styling became a focus, enticing customers to buy cars with their hearts. But making Hyundais fun to drive? That's the N line's job. N stands for Namyang, the location of Hyundai's R&D center in South Korea, as well as Nurburgring, where dynamic testing of its N cars took place. And yes, that's cars as in plural. The first N model, the i30N, has already become very well respected as a serious sporting machine in Europe. Savvy observers might note that the i30 is sold as the Elantra GT in the U.S., but Hyundai says the i30N will remain exclusive to Europe. Instead, they've developed the Veloster N specifically for the Korean and North American markets. And with a lower profile, it puts down even better numbers than its European cousin. The Veloster N comes in two flavors, both powered by a 2.0-liter direct-injection turbo four. Standard trim churns out 250 horsepower, 49 more than the Veloster Turbo, put down through 18-inch alloys wrapped in Michelin Pilot Super Sports perched at the ends of electronically controlled dampers.