Hyundai Motor Group has signed a new “strategic cooperation framework agreement” with Chinese software firm Thunder Software Technology Company (Thundersoft), as the South Korean automaker continues to step up the development of software-defined vehicles (SDVs) for the local market.
The two companies inaugurated a new “Joint Lab” in Shanghai this week, marking a deepening of their existing collaboration in intelligent vehicle software development. Thundersoft will collaborate closely with Hyundai’s Advanced Technology Research Center and Hyundai Motor R&D Center based in Shanghai.
The partnership between Hyundai and Thundersoft is focused on the development of a next-generation intelligent cockpit platform, covering key technology areas such as app stores, navigation, voice and large language models, vehicle-to-device connectivity and multimedia services. Through this collaboration, Hyundai aims to accelerate the implementation of its Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV) strategy for the Chinese and global markets.
The two companies also plan to extend their R&D partnership to include broader cooperation across industry and academia. They aim to share industry insights, market trends and cutting-edge technological information to “further integrate resources across the industrial chain to unleash synergistic innovation.”
Feng Yang, general manager of Hyundai Motor’s Advanced Technology Research Center, said in a statement: “The strategic partnership between Hyundai Motor Company and ThunderSoft represents a significant alignment in the intelligent automotive sector. It is also a crucial step in Hyundai’s localization strategy in the Chinese market.”
Hengsheng Chang, ThunderSoft’s executive president and head of the company’s Smart Vehicle division, added: “The strategic cooperation between ThunderSoft and Hyundai is built on years of collaboration, market demand, and mutual trust. The establishment of the Joint Lab will focus on developing key AI cockpit technologies, integrating multimodal interaction technologies, and applying advanced AI models to break through traditional limitations, helping Hyundai create more competitive intelligent vehicles for the global market.”
