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Go fetch yourself: Hyundai Le Fil Rouge shows off self-parking and wireless charging

With the impending onset of autonomous technology, future cars will not only be able to drive people to their destinations without assistance, they'll also be able to perform tasks without humans in them at all. Hyundai and Kia, among other companies, see this as an opportunity to solve small infrastructure problems and quell inconveniences. In particular, the Hyundai group envisions an electric car that can park and charge itself using wireless induction technology. Using the Le Fil Rouge concept car as the subject, Hyundai released a video that demonstrates how this idea could potentially work. Assume that autonomous cars will be interlinked through a network. In this video, a parking garage and the owner of the network also have access and connectivity to that theoretical system. After the driver gets out of the car at her destination, she uses an app on her smartphone to instruct the car to go to the nearest available charging station. The car then drives to a paired parking garage, sans humans, and parks itself in an available spot with a wireless charging pad. Using magnetic induction, the car refills on energy. When the charge is complete, it then moves itself to a different normal parking spot using the so-called Automated Valet Parking System (AVPS) until the owner is ready for the car. When the owner summons the car using the app, the Le Fil Rouge, now shown in the video as ready with 341 miles of range, wakes itself up and drives back to the owner. Although this is a concept for now, Hyundai and Kia believe it could become a reality within the decade. They are considering commercializing such technology with their Level 4 autonomous vehicles, which are expected to launch about 2025. The ultimate goal of launching fully autonomous rides is set for 2030. The idea of self-parking is something several manufacturers are already working on. Tesla has its summon feature, NIssan is exploring the idea with its Pro Pilot program, and Volkswagen plans to unveil its own version in 2020. At this point, both wireless charging and self-parking features seem inevitable. Hyundai Le Fil Rouge Self-Parking View 5 Photos Related Video:

Tucson hydrogen fuel cell CUV will allow Hyundai to sell more dirty cars

With the first Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell Vehicle deliveries happening soon (a bit later than expected), it's time for the Korean automaker to explain why it's offering the H2 CUV here in the states. After all, there are only 10 public hydrogen stations in the US today, according to the DOE, so it can't be to take over the market. According to a Hyundai exec, the reason we are getting the Tucson Fuel Cell is to make up to $130,000 through California's ZEV credit system. "We really don't make any money out of selling the fuel cell vehicles for now" – Byung Ki Ahn According to Wards Auto, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) will give the automaker up to 26 points worth of zero emission vehicle (ZEV) credits for each of the $499/month hydrogen Tucson leased through the 2017 model year. Those credits could be worth up to $130,000 to Hyundai. Byung Ki Ahn, Hyundai's director of the fuel cell group, told Wards Auto that, "We really don't make any money out of selling the fuel cell vehicles for now. ... So just by selling the fuel cell (vehicle) we could get a lot of credit points, which you could sell at a later time if you want, like Tesla does. It could be a good business model." Ahn clarified that Hyundai does not plan to cash in on those credits, but to use them to offset the rest of its vehicle lineup. Other automakers also participate in the ZEV credit system, of course, but if Anh's numbers are correct, then fuel cell vehicles earn more credits than battery electric vehicles do, so if you want to earn a lot of credits, hydrogen is a good way to go. You can find more details over at Wards Auto. *This post has been updated to mention other automakers using the ZEV scheme.

Hyundai Grandmaster concept could preview new flagship full-sized SUV

Hyundai just debuted the HDC-2 Grandmaster SUV concept at the Busan Motor Show, a follow-up to the Le Fil Rouge concept shown at the Geneva Motor Show this year. The Grandmaster provides a second take on the "Sensuous Sportiness" design language embodied by the Le Fil Rouge, and previews the direction we'll see Hyundai's products take. Industry observers expect the Grandmaster to become an eight-seater SUV at the top of the carmaker's range, perhaps to be called Palisade. The Grandmaster, whose name refers to a champion chess player, represents the nexus of a host of Hyundai initiatives. There's the name itself, a metaphorical reference to the brand's car and SUV overhaul. In a press release, the company wrote, "The concept vehicle is named to indicate that just as the sum of all chess pieces completes the game of chess, all forthcoming Hyundai vehicles will come to form a harmonious vehicle line-up demonstrating the Hyundai Look while each maintains distinctive character and role." On top of that, Hyundai design director Luc Donckerwolke recently called the Le Fil Rouge concept the "Queen," and said that the following concept would be the "Bishop." There's the new design direction, which takes over from Fluidic Sculpture, which Hyundai hopes will create a more emotional bond with buyers. Sensuous Sportiness combines "proportion, architecture, styling, and technology," and design chief SangYup Lee wants it to move the carmaker "from being a brand that provides a great value, we will aspire to also become a brand that is widely beloved by our customers." There's the fact that Hyundai has been revamping its SUV game for the U.S. by introducing the Kona, changing the name of the Santa Fe Sport to the Santa Fe, and rolling out the long-wheelbase seven-seater Santa Fe XL. Dividends might have started paying out last month, with the carmaker posting its first year-on-year monthly sales gain of 2018 thanks to the Kona. A production Grandmaster — which seems an eventuality based on winter spy shots of an unknown Hyundai earlier this year — would be a three-row, eight-seater replacing the Santa Fe XL and re-establishing Hyundai in the full-size segment. The predicted Palisade name comes from a Hyundai trademark application filed earlier this year. As a sibling to the Kia Telluride, or perhaps riding on a revised Genesis G90/Kia K900 architecture, the Grandmaster/Palisade could end up on dealer lots as soon as next year, as a 2020 model.