Hyundai Motor Group (the Group) and the Royal College of Art (RCA) today announced that affiliates Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation are renewing their partnership with the RCA in support of the Hyundai-Kia Innovation Laboratory at the RCA’s Intelligent Mobility Design Centre (IMDC).

Recognized as a global centre of excellence in automotive and design education, IMDC is the home of RCA’s Intelligent Mobility MA program and leads research at the intersection of people, mobility and technology within a complex and changing urban and global environment.

In 2016, Hyundai Motor UK Ltd and Kia UK Ltd made a donation to establish the Hyundai- Kia Innovation Laboratory. This was the first industry-funded research lab launched at IMDC. The Group and its Hyundai, Kia and Genesis brands partnered with IMDC to foster the creative exploration of the future of mobility. In the laboratory, the team collaborates on research projects that conceive and explore new areas in mobility systems, vehicle design, digital technology integration and transport experiences.

RCA will host a signing ceremony for the partnership renewal this evening at its Battersea campus, which will be attended by alumnus Peter Schreyer, Executive Design Advisor along with company representatives from Korea. RCA has a long-standing relationship with Schreyer, who earned a Master of Vehicle Design at RCA in 1980. Schreyer received an Honorary Doctorate from RCA in 2006 and serves on the RCA Alumni Council.

The renewed partnership will support four key areas, including the Hyundai-Kia Design and Innovation Project, Intelligent Mobility MA Visiting Design Fellowship Program, Custom Professional Development Workshops and The Hyundai-Kia Student Awards.

As part of the Hyundai-Kia Innovation Laboratory, the interdisciplinary Hyundai-Kia Design and Innovation Project will be conducted with IMDC staff and a selected group of RCA students. The project outline and direction will be mutually agreed by the partners and will be supported by Schreyer in the role of Visiting Professor. 

For the Intelligent Mobility MA Visiting Design Fellowship Program, a number of designers from Hyundai, Kia and Genesis will visit the IMDC during the year. Each Visiting Fellow will co-develop a design research project with IMDC colleagues and receive dedicated mentoring support in design and research from the IMDC team.

Four custom professional development workshops will be delivered annually for the fellows and Group staff. These will focus on various subjects, such as IMDC city mobility, new vehicle typologies, and future-facing automotive design issues, such as sustainable design and autonomy.

The annual Hyundai-Kia Student Awards will provide opportunities for the entire RCA student community to refine their understanding of mobility challenges and mobility creativity while developing an understanding of relevant industry propositions.

“The Royal College of Art is a place where art and design join together in dialogue, providing an environment for students of all different cultures and backgrounds to inspire each other and work together,” said Peter Schreyer, Executive Design Advisor to Hyundai Motor Group. “Never again in life, can students work as free-spirited and unburdened as here.”

“The Hyundai-Kia Innovation Laboratory Epitomises the kind of collaborative and industry-focused research that we champion here at the RCA,” said Dr. Paul Thompson, Vice-Chancellor of the Royal College of Art. “We thank Hyundai Motor Group for their continued support and look forward to writing the next chapter in our partnership.”

Professor Dale Harrow, Chair of the Intelligent Mobility Design Centre and Head of the Intelligent Mobility Design programme added: “I am delighted that Hyundai Motor Group have agreed to support the IMDC and the Hyundai Kia Innovation Laboratory with a considerable donation. This will allow us to collaborate on many new research and design initiatives over the period and I would like to thank Professor Peter Schreyer in particular for his continued support to our discipline and education.”

About the Royal College of Art

Founded in 1837, the Royal College of Art is the world’s leading university of art and design. Specialising in teaching and research, the RCA offers degrees of MA, MPhil, MRes and PhD across the disciplines of architecture, arts & humanities, design and communication. Based in the heart of London, the RCA provides 2,500 students with unrivalled opportunities to deliver art and design projects that transform the world. Its approach is founded on the premise that art, design, creative thinking, science, engineering and technology must all collaborate to solve today's global challenges. 

For more information about the Royal College of Art, please see: www.rca.ac.uk

About the Intelligent Mobility Design Centre (IMDC)

The Intelligent Mobility Design Centre leads design research at the intersection of people, mobility and technology within a complex and changing urban and global environment. The IMDC provides a platform which brings together designers, artists, scientists and engineers to question and reimagine the way we move goods and people. The Centre incorporates the Intelligent Mobility MA programme, bringing together researchers and students to cultivate excellent research and design outputs and pioneer new teaching in a subject area traditionally focused on design skills, rather than research focused.

For more information about the IMDC, please see: www.rca.ac.uk/research-innovation/research-centres/intelligent-mobility-design-centre

About Hyundai Motor

Established in 1967, Hyundai Motor Company is present in over 200 countries with more than 120,000 employees dedicated to tackling real-world mobility challenges around the globe. Based on the brand vision ‘Progress for Humanity,' Hyundai Motor is accelerating its transformation into a Smart Mobility Solution Provider. The company invests in advanced technologies such as robotics and Urban Air Mobility (UAM) to bring about revolutionary mobility solutions, while pursuing open innovation to introduce future mobility services. In pursuit of sustainable future for the world, Hyundai will continue its efforts to introduce zero emission vehicles equipped with industry-leading hydrogen fuel cell and EV technologies.

https://www.hyundai.com/worldwide/en/

About Hyundai Motor UK

Hyundai has sold vehicles in the UK since 1982. In 2005, Hyundai opened its own UK subsidiary, Hyundai Motor UK Ltd, which is now based in Leatherhead, Surrey. As of January 2021, Hyundai has one of the youngest product ranges of any manufacturer, with almost all models younger than 1 ½ years old. More than 75 per cent of the Company’s line-up is now available as an electrified version, and the company plans to electrify its entire range by 2025. 

Furthermore, Hyundai is a pioneer in zero-emission mobility, including its fully-electric 300-mile range Kona Electric, its second-generation fuel cell electric vehicle NEXO, and the all-new battery-electric IONIQ 5, the first model in its new IONIQ line-up brand. All passenger cars come with Hyundai’s unique Five Year Unlimited Mileage Warranty package, providing customers with a five-year warranty with unlimited mileage, five years of roadside assistance and five years of vehicle health checks. The High Voltage battery warranty is 8 years or 100,000 miles.

Further information about Hyundai and its products is available at www.hyundai.co.uk

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