Hyundai appoints AI expert to lead autonomous driving
Hyundai has strengthened its autonomous driving division by appointing former Nvidia and Samsung executive Junghyun Kwon to lead its Autonomous Driving Development Center. He will oversee the development of autonomous driving technologies from concept through to market launch. The appointment forms part of the group's broader strategy to expand its software and AI capabilities.
Kwon will lead the development of autonomous driving technologies across the Hyundai Group, overseeing the process from concept development to market launch. He will report to Minwoo Park, President and Head of the Advanced Vehicle Platform (AVP) Division.
With the appointment, Hyundai aims to strengthen its capabilities in autonomous driving as a key pillar of its future mobility strategy. The group is advancing its vision of ‘Physical AI’ for autonomous mobility through collaborations, including its partnership with AI specialist Nvidia.
Kwon brings extensive experience from the AI and software sectors. Between 2018 and 2023, he worked at Nvidia on the development and commercialisation of autonomous driving software, contributing to perception technologies for automated vehicles. One publicly documented research project he worked on is NVAutoNet, an AI-based perception network that uses camera data to identify obstacles and drivable areas.
Following his time at Nvidia, Kwon led the development of intelligent robots at Samsung Electronics, a field that also relies heavily on artificial intelligence.
Expanding software and AI capabilities
Kwon’s appointment forms part of Hyundai’s broader strategy to strengthen its software and AI capabilities. In recent years, the group has recruited several executives with experience at technology companies to lead areas such as software-defined vehicles (SDVs) and autonomous mobility.
For example, Hyundai appointed Dongwuk Kim as Senior Vice President and Head of the SDV Platform Development Centre. Kim previously worked at Apple and Tesla. The company also recruited Jeremy Ma as Senior Vice President and Head of AVP Silicon Valley. According to Hyundai, Ma has experience in robotics as well as the development and commercialisation of autonomous driving software, having held positions at Apple, the Toyota Research Institute and Nvidia.
At the same time, Hyundai is advancing the development of a software-centric vehicle architecture. In 2025, the Hyundai Motor Group, which includes Kia and Genesis, introduced its Pleos software platform and announced a roadmap for Level 2+ functionality by the end of 2027. Level 2+ refers to advanced driver assistance systems that can temporarily take control of the vehicle, while requiring the driver to remain ready to intervene at any time.
Partnerships with Nvidia and Waymo
Strategic partnerships also play a key role in Hyundai’s autonomous driving strategy. In March, the group expanded its collaboration with Nvidia, building on a partnership announced last year. The cooperation combines Hyundai’s expertise in software-defined vehicles with Nvidia’s AI technologies to develop advanced automated driving systems.
Hyundai is also working with robotaxi operator Waymo in the US. The partnership focuses on integrating Waymo’s autonomous driving technology into vehicles based on the Hyundai Ioniq 5 for robotaxi applications. However, these robotaxis have not yet entered service.