2013 Hyundai Sonata Gls on 2040-cars

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Hyundai recalls some 2011 Sonatas: Airbags might not deploy

Hyundai is recalling certain 2011 model-year Sonata midsize sedans, saying the airbags may not inflate in a crash. Hyundai says in a government filing that the airbag control unit may short circuit in a crash and prevent the front and side airbags from inflating and the seatbelts from tightening. The automaker says it is aware of four incidents in which owners of the 2011 Sonata reported airbag failure during a crash. Only 1 percent of models are estimated to be defective. The recall affects 154,753 Sonata models built between Dec. 11, 2009, and Sept. 29, 2010, at Hyundai's Alabama assembly plant. It starts April 20. Hyundai says the remedy for the recall is still being developed. This recall is not related to the massive global Takata recall. Separately, Hyundai this week issued a recall for nearly 44,000 Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport SUVs, both from 2018, following reports of the steering wheel detaching from the steering column. In that recall, dealers will replace the steering wheel assembly, if necessary. Affected owners are to be notified starting March 16. Related Video: Image Credit: Hyundai Recalls Hyundai Auto Repair Safety Sedan airbag hyundai santa fe hyundai santa fe sport

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:

Hyundai celebrates selling one-millionth Santa Fe

Hyundai celebrated a milestone yesterday when it sold the one-millionth Santa Fe crossover, which was the Korean automaker's first-and-only SUV when it was introduced in 2000. Hyundai credits the Santa Fe as being a key factor to the company's growth and success in the US, but it didn't describe the one-millionth Santa Fe or say where it was sold.
Before Hyundai introduced the crossover, which has been offered in short- and long-wheelbase versions from the start, it was primarily known for making inexpensive economy cars. Today the majority of Santa Fes are produced at its factory in West Point, Georgia, though they were previously made at the Hyundai Motor Manufacturing plant in Montgomery, Alabama. Today the Alabama plant makes Sonata and Elantra sedans. Hyundai says it will produce nearly 500,000 vehicles in the US this year, and will sell a total of 700,000 vehicles here.
Check out the press release below, for more details.