Samsung, Hyundai Motor move cooperation toward physical AI

By Grace Kim

Samsung Electronics and Hyundai Motor Group brought 177 attendees, including executives from both sides and their spouses, to Samsung's Seocheon training center in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, on Nov. 9. It was Samsung's first large-scale invitational event for another major Korean conglomerate.

The Hyundai Motor Group event, branded “HMG Appreciation Day” and themed “One Harmony Toward the Future,” framed the companies as “One Team.” An hour before the official program, executives gathered in small groups in a flower-decorated reception hall and talked over drinks.

Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Jun Young-hyun said: “Hyundai Motor Group and Samsung are partners that have written the history of Korean industry together.”

He added: “We hope that Hyundai Motor Group's innovative vision and Samsung Group's technological capabilities spanning components to finished products will meet to open up new value and limitless possibilities together.”

Hyundai Motor Group Vice Chairman Jaehoon Chang said: “Samsung and Hyundai Motor Group are expanding the possibilities for cooperation in future industries such as robotics and energy, beyond cooperation in auto parts areas including electronics, audio and batteries.”

He added: “We hope to respect each other's strengths, join forces and take on the challenges ahead together.”

President-level executives from both sides shook hands warmly, posed for a “fighting” photo, watched the Gyeonggi Philharmonic Orchestra perform and shared dinner.

Key attendees included:

• Hyundai Motor Group President Seo Kang-hyun, head of planning and coordination; Manfred Harrer, head of the research and development division; and Park Min-woo, head of the AVP division.
• Samsung Electronics' Roh Tae-moon, head of the Device eXperience (DX) division; Park Yong-in, head of the System LSI business; Han Jin-man, head of the foundry (chip manufacturing) business; Samsung SDI President Choi Joo-sun; and Samsung Display President Lee Cheong.

The venue hosted technology exchanges that identified points of contact for deeper work:

• Samsung Electronics' semiconductor division showed advanced automotive chips.
• Samsung SDI presented next-generation energy technologies, including all-solid-state batteries and battery cells and packs.
• Samsung Electro-Mechanics displayed camera modules that serve as the “eyes” of self-driving cars and automotive multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs).
• Samsung Display showed next-generation automotive displays.
• Harman introduced central control units (CCUs) and telematics control units (TCUs) needed for software-defined vehicles (SDVs).

The overlap is concrete.

Chang arrived at the venue in a Genesis GV90, an ultra-large electric SUV fitted with Samsung SDI prismatic batteries.

What does this change for Hyundai and Samsung?

The expected scope of cooperation extends beyond electric-vehicle components into physical AI (systems that detect surroundings, process information and draw power). Self-driving cars and robots share three core elements: sensors, semiconductors and batteries.

For Hyundai and Samsung, the commercial change is a broader project pipeline spanning vehicle and robot hardware, not only component-by-component transactions. Combining Samsung's electronics and components technologies with Hyundai Motor Group's robot development and manufacturing capabilities could open business opportunities in industrial robots and next-generation mobility.

Robot-specific battery development has a defined split. Samsung SDI and Hyundai Motor and Kia began jointly developing the batteries last year. Samsung handles high-capacity materials and battery design; Hyundai and Kia evaluate robot applications.

Three generations of corporate ties

The relationship spans three generations. In November 1985, Samsung founder Lee Byung-chull attended Hyundai founder Chung Ju-yung's 70th birthday celebration despite illness, and presented white porcelain he had selected himself.

In March 2001, the late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee and Hyundai-Kia Chairman Chung Mong-koo held a one-on-one meeting at Samsung's Seungjiwon guesthouse. Chairmen Lee Jae-yong and Chairman Chung Euisun met in succession in May and July 2020 at Samsung SDI's Cheonan plant and Hyundai-Kia's Namyang research and development center.

Their 2020 discussions covered all-solid-state batteries and electric-vehicle and autonomous-driving technologies. In 2023, Samsung Electronics announced plans to supply Hyundai Motor with its “Exynos Auto V920” automotive infotainment processor. Samsung SDI also signed a long-term electric-vehicle battery supply contract with Hyundai that year.

An industry official said: “This event will serve as a turning point in broadening cooperation between the two groups across future industries, beyond component-by-component transactions.”