Hyundai Motor and Kia Revamp R&D Organization to Make it More Agile, Flexible and Independent Like Startups
Summary
“The new R&D organization will be fast and flexible, operating with the agility of a startup, and will enable us to lead in the rapidly changing mobility landscape,” said President and CTO Yong Hwa Kim. The reorganization is focused on continuing the transition to electrification and software-centered development, strengthening capabilities to create next-generation technologies and securing future growth engines in new business areas. Within each unit, there is a dedicated Project Manager (PM) organization overseeing product development for each model, supported by engineering design and test centers reporting directly to them. These Tech Units and Centers will operate independently, conducting research and development in their respective fields while also nurturing organic collaboration with other departments as needed, with the aim of enhancing competitiveness. Revamped R&D organization paves the way for strengthening technology leadership in the future automotive industry In 2003, Hyundai Motor and Kia established an integrated division that brought together R&D functions that had previously been spread separately across the country to improve its R&D capability.