Hyundai signed a deal with autonomous-driving company Waymo to integrate Waymo technology into Ioniq 5 SUVs and expand its fleet.

The multiyear partnership foresees “significant volume” fleet production incorporating Waymo’s sixth-generation fully autonomous Waymo Driver technology “to support Waymo One’s growing scale,” Hyundai said in a press release, referring to Waymo’s taxi service.

Hyundai will manufacture the electric compact crossover SUVs at its new EV factory in Georgia, before they're integrated with Waymo Driver. 

Testing of the specially equipped Ioniqs is scheduled to start late next year before they’re deployed to ferry around passengers.

“Hyundai and Waymo share a vision to improve the safety, efficiency and convenience of how people move,” said José Muñoz, president and global COO of Hyundai Motor Co. and president and CEO of Hyundai Motor North America. He said the two companies are discussing more potential areas of collaboration.

The South Korean automaker said it recently launched what it calls its “autonomous vehicle foundry” business to produce vehicles equipped for autonomous-driving providers. “There is no better partner for our first agreement in this initiative than industry-leader Waymo,” said Chang Song, president and head of Hyundai Motor Group’s Advanced Vehicle Platform Division.

Hyundai said the Ioniq 5 boasts “some of the industry’s fastest charging speeds.”

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