Hyundai Motor(005380) held a tech day for "the all-new Avante" on the 29th and unveiled a newly applied P position button emergency braking function for the eighth-generation Avante, a compact sedan to be officially released next month. When the brake pedal cannot be pressed normally, the vehicle can be stopped by pressing only the "P position" button on the column-type electronic shift lever.
This function has been applied to the Avante for the first time among Hyundai Motor Group models. Since the first-generation model was launched in 1995, the Avante has sold more than 16 million units cumulatively and has been known as the "nation's first car." Overseas, under the name "Elantra," it played a major role in promoting the Hyundai Motor brand.
The P position button emergency braking function is activated when the P position button on the gear lever is pressed while driving. As long as the driver keeps it pressed, the vehicle limits acceleration on its own and applies hydraulic braking to all four wheels. It slows down to below 1 kph and then engages the electronic parking brake. Braking force varies with vehicle speed, and it disengages when the driver releases the button.
Hyundai Motor also added a function to prevent pedal misapplication. This function was first applied to the Casper Electric. If the accelerator pedal is mistakenly stomped as if it were the brake, the vehicle recognizes it as a misapplication and stops on its own. Together with the P position button emergency braking, it serves as a double safety device. Hyundai Motor said it included the function because the vehicle was developed with safety as the top priority.
Hyundai Motor adopted a 1.6L hybrid system with a parallel structure for the eighth-generation Avante. Although this is also applied to the Kia(000270) Niro and Seltos, the difference is that it additionally includes a drive motor and a high-voltage battery. A motor with an output of 45 kW and torque of 203 Nm and a battery with a capacity of 1.49 kWh and voltage of 270 V have been added to boost power performance. Thanks to this, the system's maximum output of the eighth-generation Avante is 157 horsepower (previously 141 horsepower). It takes 9.7 seconds to reach 100 kph from a standstill, and the top speed is 187 kph.
Fuel efficiency was also improved by expanding the regenerative braking range. The share of regenerative braking, rather than hydraulic braking via the brake, was increased until just before stopping below 10 kph. Regenerative braking refers to a function that converts kinetic energy into electrical energy to charge the battery.
A Hyundai Motor official said, "Even with more regenerative braking, we made braking stability and ride comfort better." However, for a complete stop, the brake pedal must be pressed. Through this, fuel efficiency improved by about 10% from the previous 19.2 kpl, Hyundai Motor said.
Hyundai Motor said it increased tensile strength by applying ultra-high-strength steel plates to key parts of the eighth-generation Avante's body. To enhance crash safety, it also increased the thickness of the inner and outer panels of the B-pillar. As for dimensions, overall length grew by 55 mm and overall width and wheelbase each by 30 mm compared with the previous model.
In addition, for the first time at Hyundai Motor, navigation-based Smart Cruise Control 2 was installed. A function previously usable only on highways can now be used on regular roads. This function is not available even on the recently unveiled new Grandeur.
The issue is price. With many new features included, a price increase appears inevitable. An industry official said, "The more new technology goes in, the more prices tend to rise," adding, "How much the price hike was minimized seems likely to be key to the Avante's success."