AI-based unmanned excavators are expected to build safer homes, and green mobility that self-drives according to the driver's voice is expected to become a reality in the near future. CES 2024, which showcased various AI technologies that will be converged across industries beyond human life, attracted more than 4,300 companies from 150 countries, including Hyundai Motor Group, and 135,000 visitors, roving once again to be the world's leading global IT technology event. Hyundai E&C also visited CES 2024 to explore trends in various innovative technologies and construction technologies, and what technologies did our five employees overseeing major operations in energy, mobility, and home environment pay attention to? Below are their stories of attending CES 2024.

It's up to Hyundai E&C to Build Infrastructure that Makes Future Mobility Convenient

by Kwanghoe Jung, Head, Mobility Infrastructure Research Team

Some people refer the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) to as the world's largest “Car Electronics Show” (CES). After attending CES 2024, I could easily see why because the West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), where CES 2024 was held, was the most bustling and popular venue for mobility exhibits.

Hyundai E&C's Mobility Infrastructure Research Team is developing the overall technologies for planning, designing, and constructing infrastructure for the safe and efficient application of future mobility, as well as proposing models of future cities and mobility hubs where they will be implemented. Therefore, I paid attention to the exhibits of various mobility companies that could inspire new ideas. First, Hyundai Motor Company (HMC) unveiled its next-generation vehicle ecosystem centered on hydrogen energy and software at CES 2024: DICE for personal mobility, SPACE for public mobility, and CITY POD for logistics mobility coupled with Boston Dynamics' robot STRETCH. They all use hydrogen energy or power generated by hydrogen generators and provide customized mobility spaces and services for users through an integrated control system based on generative AI.

I was most intrigued by SPACE (Spatial Curated Experience), a self-driving public mobility that architecturally reinvented mobility. SPACE provides optimized spaces and services that meet the needs of various passengers, including design for the mobility impaired. When not in service, it transforms into SPACE-Pavilion, an urban retreat that reuses the mobility modules just like Transformers robot. SPACE, which is both a mobility and an infrastructure facility, offered a glimpse into Hyundai Motor Group (HMG)'s commitment to “innovating human-centered lifestyle".

In addition, new mobility technologies such as HMG Supernal's new Urban Air Mobility (UAM)* aircraft S-A2, Hyundai Mobis' mobility with e-cornering system “MOBION”, and HD Hyundai's unmanned automation technology “Xite Transformation” have sparked great interest during the event. So, as we look ahead to a future where next-generation mobility being serviced, what preparations should Hyundai E&C make?

The first step is to build infrastructure and spaces where future mobility can operate conveniently. Many buildings Hyundai E&C constructs will need charging stations, mobility roads, mobility elevators, and safety management systems to ensure the safety operation of future mobility. To do so, infrastructure planning, design, and construction must be carried out with the future mobility environment in mind. Hyundai E&C has already taken the lead in building an Urban Air Mobility (UAM)* ecosystem by signing an MOU with HMC and Incheon International Airport Corporation (IIAC) in 2021 and announcing four Korean Vertiport concept designs. I think it is high time for Hyundai E&C to lead the way in K-mobility by moving faster than anyone else to create its own differentiated technological edge.

*Urban Air Mobility (UAM): It refers to an urban transportation system that uses aircraft to transport passengers or cargo over short distances within urban centers, and is being touted as a future mobility option to address ground transportation challenges.

Hyundai Motor Group Presents a Hydrogen Society, with Hyundai E&C at the Forefront

by Sungyeop Jung, Senior Researcher, Hydrogen Energy Research Team

Just as the theme of CES 2024, “All together All on”, means “addressing humanity's challenges through technological advancement,” sustainability is an essential component required of innovative technologies. In keeping with this trend, HMG also announced the "HTWO Grid" project at CES 2024, which aims to complete the entire value chain from production to storage, transportation, and utilization of hydrogen, an important energy source for the net-zero era, leveraging the capabilities of the group’s operating companies. The goal is to realize a clean hydrogen society by expanding its business activities beyond the current focus on hydrogen fuel cell vehicles to the entire process.

As part of the HMG, Hyundai E&C, and in particular the Hydrogen Energy Research Team, of which I am a member, plays an important role in the hydrogen business, including securing hydrogen production and storage technologies. At the show the theme, “Ease every way with hydrogen and software”, I experienced firsthand the future mobility society based on hydrogen energy that HMG is creating, and realized the need to strengthen our capabilities. The anticipation and enthusiasm of international visitors was so intense that there was a long queue of people waiting for more than tens of minutes from the entrance of the exhibition hall. Hyundai E&C's technologies leading the clean hydrogen production infrastructure industry were also showcased with great excitement, including electrolysis-based hydrogen production technology and Waste-to-Hydrogen (W2H) technology.

First, electrolysis-based hydrogen production refers to a technology that produces hydrogen by electrolyzing water. Currently, Hyundai E&C is building Korea's first hydrogen production base based on electrolysis in Buan, Jeollabuk-do, South Korea, and plans to begin full-scale production of high-purity hydrogen as a fuel for hydrogen mobility in May 2025. Waste-to-hydrogen (W2H) technology is another hydrogen production method that decomposes organic waste such as food waste, sewage sludge, and livestock manure into biogas, which is then converted into hydrogen. Hyundai E&C has been continuously scaling its infrastructure projects that can ensure stable production of biogas, including in Cheongna, Incheon in 2008, Chungju in 2016, and now the Siheung Clean Energy Center. At the show, a video was screened to showcase the process of  biogas production/refining, hydrogen production, carbon capture, and hydrogen refueling stations developed by Hyundai E&C and Hyundai Rotem.   

I am proud that Hyundai E&C's commitment to the hydrogen infrastructure market has been showcased as a core technology of HMG’s HTWO Grid at CES, and realized that it was time to focus on strengthening our EPC capabilities to lead the global hydrogen infrastructure market. I look forward to the day when Hyundai E&C will become a pioneer in the hydrogen society that HMG will present in the near future. 

How Future Mobility Will Transform Our Lives

by Sejun Lee, Manager, Architectural Design Team

Architectural Design Team manages the planning, ordering, and design of various buildings, including domestic and overseas public and private projects undertaken by Hyundai E&C. I am in charge of supporting the design of various construction sites, including data centers, and one of them is related to Urban Air Mobility (UAM). The reason I went to CES 2024 was to explore the exhibition site of Hyundai Motor Group’s UAM Supernal and the next-generation UAM aircraft (S-A2), which was unveiled in full-size for the first time.  

Hyundai E&C has been working with many companies, including HMC, to preemptively introduce the UAM Vertiport technology know-how, presenting the Vertiport concept design and discovering specific specialized technologies. The Supernal exhibit was a valuable opportunity to publicize the Vertiport concept, one of Hyundai E&C's future projects, in addition to its enormous scale. The showroom, which was shaped like a UAM airfield, created a majestic and authentic atmosphere like a movie set. The media day attracted a large number of reporters and visitors, and it was especially meaningful for me to meet with a representative from Gensler, an American architectural firm that worked on the Vertiport concept design with the Architectural Business Division in 2022.

I watched firsthand the simulation process of the aerial vehicle traveling along the actual route, and looked at the detailed specifications of the aircraft and the control system in the showcase space, and realized that the UAM ecosystem driven by HMG is progressing organically. As I watched many distinguished guests from local governments visit the exhibition to discuss cooperation on domestic demonstration projects, I could once again confirm that HMG Supernal is at the forefront of the UAM industry. On the other hand, I also felt a great sense of responsibility as Hyundai E&C's role in building the Vertiport, the core of the UAM ecosystem, is significant.

I am confident that the mobility technologies introduced by global companies, including HMC, will disrupt the construction sector. In particular, HMC’s personal mobility “DICE” can be used as an office from the moment you stop wherever you want after work, and I am looking forward to seeing how mobility technologies that go beyond simple means of transportation and bring about spatial changes will transform our lives in the future. 

It is Time to Change to Keep up with the AI-enabled Smarter Construction Industry

by Kwangyoon Kim, Senior Manager, Digital Platform Team

The buzzword CES 2024 was all about AI. Not only the construction sector, but also various other sectors have been working on strategies to utilize AI technology in their businesses. The trend of artificial intelligence is likely to have a significant impact on the planning and operations of smart construction systems and on-site systems, which is one of the main tasks of the Digital Platform Team. Experiencing various AI technologies at CES made me feel excited that the future I had only imagined has become a reality. It was so much fun that I walked about 30,000 steps a day in the huge exhibition hall, to explore the smart construction and home IoT exhibits that could be connected to the operations of our company.

First, I’d like to introduce you to the exhibits that showcased outstanding innovations in smart construction. HD Hyundai, the first non-home appliance company to deliver a keynote speech at CES 2024, showcased a variety of unmanned technologies. In addition to the technology that controls remote equipment based on digital twins, AI unmanned excavators that understand the site conditions based on the blueprint and recognize surrounding obstacles with radar sensors and cameras are expected to become an emerging technology that maximizes productivity and safety on construction sites in the future. In addition, Doosan Group's “Oscar the Sorter” is a recycling sorting solution based on a robotic arm that picks up objects, triage recyclables, and transfers them to designated trash bins, and is expected to be utilized as a specialized product for recycling resources in connection with Hyundai E&C's apartment products.

As it is time for Hyundai E&C to rapidly evolve in line with the trend of AI-enabled automation and unmanning on industrial sites, I thought about some specific applications. For example, if the construction material transport robots that have just been unveiled to the public, such as Gole Robotics' autonomous driving-based robot Air-AMR, which was exhibited at CES, are commercialized, it is expected that they will be able to transport construction materials on their own even at night when there is no construction work, which will help improve site safety and shorten construction time. However, it is also necessary to consider measures against noise and complaints caused by nighttime construction.

I could envision a future where various home IoT technologies are integrated with our home service apps to create new experiences. Moreover, as many companies follow the standard “Matter*” and “HCA*” for smart home connectivity, the ecosystem that Hyundai E&C can utilize will expand further. And just as AI technology has permeated our daily lives, I wonder if there will ever come a day when AI technology will become the norm in our construction sites and homes.

*Matter: A home IoT standard that smart home service providers are developing together to make their services compatible with each other. It is particiated by Google, Amazon, Apple, Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, and others.

*Home Connectivity Alliance (HCA): A global IoT standards organization and connectivity consortium created to connect multiple brands of smart home products and platforms to the cloud to interoperate and scale the smart home ecosystem. Members include major home appliance companies such as Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, and Haier.

Meeting Creative Partners with Unique Ideas to Improve Quality of Life

by Donghoon Lee, Manager, Brand Marketing Team

As a new product manager in the brand marketing team, I saw CES as an opportunity to expand our and boarded a plane to the US with the goal of getting 100 business cards. As it turned out, attending CES 2024 was much more valuable than I expected. I was impressed by the stature of Korean companies on the global stage, but most of all, I was amazed by the technological prowess of the great Korean SMEs that won the Top Innovation Awards at CES 2024. I will long cherish the memory of getting newly acquainted with various business partners with outstanding ideas.

At CES 2024, there were many interesting everyday technologies that could be applied to the H series I manage. Above all, Motion Pillow, an AI-powered snoring-free pillow from 10minds that will keep your home peaceful, arousing the desire within me to buy it. It works by recognizing head position and snoring sounds and adjusting the air in the pillow whenever you snore to reposition your head and secure your airway. The more AI deep learning technology is applied, the more customized solutions are provided and the better the quality of the user's sleep. If AI that recognizes snoring sounds is connected to Hyundai E&C's sleep solution "H Sleeponomics", it is expected to create a more comfortable and relaxing sleep environment.

DeepVisions' “Vision Plus” technology, which uses CCTV to measure fine dust, is also another cost-effective option. Since the existing CCTV can be used as is, it is possible to replace the fine dust signal light installed in the apartment complex. In the future, it can be used as a feature to notify customers when to ventilate and go outside via interface with the wall pad.

The food and agtech sector, which was highlighted as one of the major tech trends at CES, also had a lot to offer the construction industry. Top Table's 4D food printing system, “IINK”, is a personalized nutrient dispenser aligned with the “hyper-personalization” trend, with amazing technology that allows you to customize the texture, size, and nutrient content of the nutritional products, and even customize when the nutrients should dissolve in the body. This could be an important addition to the future healthy homes that Hyundai is currently focusing on. It's also possible to connect authentic narratives, such as taking a picture of a meal menu, scanning and analyzing it, and then creating a nutritional supplements that contains the nutrients you lack (4D food printing).

In addition, Midbar's “AirFarm”, which can operate without a separate water infrastructure by converting air moisture into water and producing water in real time, can be connected to Hyundai E&C's “H Clean Farm” to provide a more flexible and smart farm environment. 

Hyundai E&C is leading the way in shifting the residential paradigm with the “H Series” that reflects the needs of customers and the latest residential trends, and the “All-Life Care House” innovative model that cares for AI-enabled health! I promise to make more comfortable and innovative home products by leveraging the experience of CES 2024, which has inspired me with many business ideas using novel and innovative technologies.

※ Photo credit: Hyundai Motor Group, HD Hyundai, Doosan Corporation, Gole Robotics, 10minds, Top Table, Midbar