Skip advert
Advertisement

Hyundai Ioniq autonomous ride review

We get taken for a ride around Hyundai’s giant Namyang research and development base by an autonomous Ioniq

The Hyundai engineer in the driving seat of our prototype reckoned that urban vehicle autonomy is still “10 years away”, and the Ioniq shows not only how much the car can do already, but also how it can still struggle to deal with basic situations. However, Hyundai and lots of other manufacturers argue that highway (motorway) systems will be ready long before then - and if you imagine the hi-def mapping and the sensor technologies on board this car, in an environment where there are fewer external distractions, then that also seems realistic.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Hyundai is continuing to push ahead with its autonomous technology - and we’ve had a chance to sample the firm’s latest developments in the area with a ride in a self-driving Ioniq

The Ioniq has been the base for Hyundai’s recent autonomous efforts. It released the first version of the car at last autumn’s Los Angeles Auto Show, and gave a practical demonstration of the technology at the CES electronics fair in Las Vegas earlier this year.

Everything you need to know about driverless cars

Our ride in the latest car was at Hyundai’s giant Namyang research and development base, where 13,000 engineers work on everything from electric powertrains to the N high-performance models. The site’s busy perimeter roads gave the Ioniq a good opportunity to show how it can cope with a complex urban environment, instead of the motorways that are better suited to existing systems.

The latest self-driving Ioniq uses a forward-facing camera mounted at the back of the rear-view mirror, plus three lidar radar sensors - one in the front, and two at the rear. Unlike the CES car, which featured a stereo camera, the latest iteration of the vehicle has a less complex mono lens - showing that Hyundai is focusing on bringing down the potential cost of the set-up.

Advertisement - Article continues below
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Used - available now

i10

2019 Hyundai

i10

38,755 milesManualPetrol1.0L

Cash £7,490
View i10
HR-V Hybrid

2017 Honda

HR-V Hybrid

70,277 milesManualPetrol1.5L

Cash £8,790
View HR-V Hybrid
EV6

2024 Kia

EV6

20,984 milesAutomaticElectric

Cash £26,795
View EV6
1 Series

2021 BMW

1 Series

36,564 milesManualPetrol1.5L

Cash £17,990
View 1 Series

The Ioniq’s system relies heavily on high-definition mapping - and the test car has a computer monitor mounted ahead of the front passenger seat to show how the car is perceiving the world around it. The engineer says the system in this car couldn’t cope without the map data, and it’s easy to see why; the roads around Namyang are outlined in considerable detail, with even speed humps noted so it knows when to slow down.

However, the system is using its sensors to watch out for pedestrian crossings and stop lines, we’re told. And plenty of non-permanent objects appear on the monitor to show that the car has picked them up; it displays pedestrians and draws distinctions between moving vehicles and those that are parked at the side of the road. It’s even pretty happy to switch lanes or allow other traffic to merge into its path without a panic. 

So the drive is actually a pretty polished experience; indeed, for much of our 20-minute journey at around 30mph, you’d be hard pressed to realise that the car is doing the work, were it not for the sight of the wheel twirling away, free from the driver’s hands. The system seems to make myriad small inputs, but the overall effect is pretty smooth. This is helped further by a gentle approach to the throttle; the Ioniq would need to be a bit more assertive if it was to avoid being carved up by most rush-hour commuters.

There are also a couple of occasions where the system gives you a proper reality check. The first is when a van travelling in front of us decides its wants to pull across traffic; the Ioniq gets reasonably close before standing on the anchors in a pretty abrupt fashion. 

Then at the end of our run, the system spies pedestrians walking perfectly happily along a pavement on the outside of a corner and decides - presumably because the people are, for a moment, directly ahead of it - that it needs to stop. We’re static for a second or two before the perceived danger passes and the Ioniq moves away again - but it’s a telling reminder of how technology can still be flummoxed by situations we humans can reason away in a split-second.

Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Volkswagen Tiguan

Volkswagen Tiguan

RRP £35,385Avg. savings £2,911 off RRP*Used from £16,700
Vauxhall Corsa

Vauxhall Corsa

RRP £18,725Avg. savings £4,199 off RRP*Used from £15,337
Kia Sportage

Kia Sportage

RRP £28,065Avg. savings £2,233 off RRP*Used from £12,420
Nissan Juke

Nissan Juke

RRP £19,785Avg. savings £3,331 off RRP*Used from £9,600
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New Kia PV5 Passenger MPV undercuts the VW ID.Buzz by a huge £25k
Kia PV5 Passenger - show front

New Kia PV5 Passenger MPV undercuts the VW ID.Buzz by a huge £25k

New entry into the electric people carrier market undercuts the VW ID. Buzz by a significant margin
News
29 Apr 2025
Car Deal of the Day: BMW’s ultimate luxury SUV at an unusually low price
BMW X7 - front

Car Deal of the Day: BMW’s ultimate luxury SUV at an unusually low price

German firm’s flagship SUV could never be called cheap but it is exceptional value at £735 a month – making it our Deal of the Day for Sunday 27 April
News
27 Apr 2025
New 2025 Kia PV5 van starts from a tempting £22,645
Kia PV5 Cargo on display at Commercial Vehicle Show - front 3/4

New 2025 Kia PV5 van starts from a tempting £22,645

All-new entry into the van market promises competitive pricing and comes with a range of up to 247 miles
News
30 Apr 2025