Hyundai Signs R&D Deal with UC Berkeley, UC Davis

Hyundai Motor Group is kicking off a new long-range R&D program by partnering on automotive technology development with the University of California, Berkeley and University of California, Davis.

The three organizations have signed a memorandum of understanding to create a Hyundai Center of Excellent at each university. The facilities will bring together Hyundai engineers and university researchers to work on advanced vehicle dynamics and safety technologies.

Hyundai did not disclose the investment involved or indicate when the centers would begin work. The company says business partners in the two centers include Spain's Applus IDIADA, Austria's AVL and England's Ricardo.

The initiative is the first under Hyundai's new R&D Global Frontier Program, which aims to bolster the company's technological prowess through cooperative research projects in such areas as ride and handling, NVH, crashworthiness, safety and materials.