Hyundai Motor Group, which has faced criticism for effectively forcing the use of its own navigation system, is recruiting Jung Min-kyu, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of T Map Mobility (T map·TMAP), as an executive. Since Jung has overseen T Map's data platform and overall mapping, he is expected to take charge of Hyundai Motor's infotainment-related work.
According to industry sources on the 2nd, Jung is currently in the process of resigning from T Map, and he will start working at Hyundai Motor at the executive level from mid-month. His specific responsibilities have not been disclosed. Hyundai has continuously recruited software developers in the past. In 2021, they brought in Song Chang-hyun, who gained development experience at Apple and Naver (NAVER), as president (currently Deputy Minister of Advanced Driving Platform). In 2018, they recruited Kim Jeong-hee, who was then director in charge of artificial intelligence (AI) research at Naver, as executive director. He later advanced to senior executive and has since moved to LG Electronics.
Jung is a developer with 17 years of experience and has overseen the development organization at T Map. T Map includes four groups: a mobility platform encompassing applications such as navigation, a data platform that shows the process from data generation to visualization, mobility services responsible for services like chauffeur and parking, and a platform that oversees overall mapping. There are also two teams responsible for quality and information protection, which Jung oversaw.
Jung developed servers at Naver and Line, and worked as a developer at Toss and Kakao. Before joining T Map, he worked as a head engineer at Balance Hero, a South Korean fintech company that had expanded into India. An IT industry official noted, “He has extensive experience developing large-scale systems and managing global projects.”
In the automobile industry, it is anticipated that Jung will take on responsibilities related to Hyundai's infotainment system. During last year's National Assembly audit process, the National Assembly's Land, Infrastructure, and Transport Committee pointed out that Hyundai was requiring consumers to use only its navigation system. Most vehicles currently sold are equipped with navigation created by Hyundai AutoEver's software as standard.
External mapping services like Android Auto can be used, but doing so prevents the use of features based on Hyundai's navigation. In contrast, vehicles that collaborate with companies like TomTom or Google are sold overseas. Hyundai has recently informed legislators on the Land Committee that it intends to improve the issue by the end of the first quarter this year.
Meanwhile, T Map noted, “I understand that Jung will not be in charge of navigation work.”