Hyundai Motor Group has reportedly tapped Manfred Harrer, executive vice president in charge of Genesis and performance development, as the new head of the research and development (R&D) division that oversees finished vehicle development. In the auto industry, attention is focusing on who will be appointed as the head of the Advanced Vehicle Platform (AVP) division, which became vacant recently when former President Song Chang-hyun stepped down.
According to a Hyundai Motor official on the 12th, Yang Hee-won, president and head of Hyundai Motor and Kia R&D (president), told key executives the previous day at the Namyang Research Center in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, that he intends to retire. Hyundai Motor Group is said to have accepted Yang's resignation and chosen Harrer as his successor.
Harrer spent 25 years at German automakers including Audi, BMW, and Porsche, where he worked on development of chassis and software. He also demonstrated capabilities in mobility-related IT, taking part in Apple's Autonomous Driving electric car ("Apple Car") project, and joined Hyundai Motor Group in May last year.
At the end of 2023, after then-Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Kim Yong-hwa stepped down, Hyundai Motor Group effectively lost a central control tower overseeing research and development. Instead, finished vehicle development shifted to the R&D division, while the AVP division took charge of software overall, including Autonomous Driving technology, moving to a "two-top system."
With former AVP head (president) Song Chang-hyun stepping down on the 3rd, followed by President Yang Hee-won's resignation, Hyundai Motor Group is replacing both leaders who have been steering its R&D organization.
Song resigned, taking responsibility for Hyundai Motor Group's Autonomous Driving capabilities lagging behind competitors. While Tesla and General Motors (GM) are already commercializing vehicles close to fully autonomous, Hyundai Motor and Kia have yet to secure the core technology.
Tesla has already commercialized its Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology in the United States since 2020, and since on the 23rd of last month has been selling the Model S and Model X with this feature in the domestic market.
Unlike the R&D division, where Harrer was quickly named, Hyundai Motor Group is struggling to find a new head for the AVP division.
An industry official said, "To quickly catch up in Autonomous Driving technology, where it is already behind, it needs to find the right person who can newly set the direction of development," adding, "Even if it takes some time, Hyundai Motor Group will be careful and thorough in appointing someone who understands both IT and the mobility industry."