Hyundai Motor has started testing its fully-autonomous Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) in the US after receiving a license from the US state of Nevada.
The automaker testing two Tucson (ix35) Fuel Cell on the public roads to evaluate partially and fully autonomous driving technologies, and to test the car's performance in real-world conditions.
The car is fitted with four main technologies which include Interval Autonomous Driving, a fully-autonomous driving technology designed to test within fully controlled, designated roads.
The cars also feature Traffic Jam Assist, which will allow them to track the vehicle in front under moderate/high traffic conditions.
Hyundai has also equipped the cars with Emergency Stop System which will automatically dock the car onto the side of the road in case of emergency.
Hyundai has added Narrow Path Assist to the Tucsons to guide the car and to provide a fully-autonomous drive through narrow roads.
The cars also features other technologies like cameras, radars and sensors like around view monitor camera; GPS; blind spot detection radar; smart cruise control radar; ultrasonic sensor; Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR).
Hyundai Central Advanced Research and Engineering Institute vice president Tae-Won Lim said: "A great deal of research and rigorous product testing will need to be undertaken in order to make the 'self-driving car' a reality.
"Thanks to this license we will be able to accelerate the testing of our latest autonomous technologies.
"We are confident that our latest innovations, both for partially- and fully-autonomous driving, will ultimately make driving safer for all road users."
Hyundai is the first automaker to test fully automated FCEV but autonomous cars have been tested by Google, BMW and several other automakers in the US.
Image: Hyundai Motor has begun the first tests of a fully-autonomous Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle. Photo: 2015 HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY.
