Hyundai Motor links to Swiss hologram firm

An image of a navigation program using holograms and augmented reality. Hyundai Motor formed a partnership with hologram company WayRay on Wednesday to offer such technology in their cars after 2020. [HYUNDAI MOTOR]

Hyundai Motor is going into partnership with a Swiss software developer to co-develop augmented reality (AR) navigation and other infotainment features using holograms.

This is part of Hyundai Motor’s latest effort to go beyond traditional car manufacturing to turn itself into a so-called mobility solution provider as pledged by the group’s new executive vice chairman Chung Eui-sun early this month.

The nation’s No. 1 automaker announced Wednesday that the partnership with Swiss hologram company WayRay will give it the capacity to offer AR navigation in its mass produced cars after 2020.

The carmaker said AR navigation will be projected on a head-up display or even the entire front windscreen.

With many data points on the trip projected on the screen, driving could be safer.

In addition to AR navigation, hologram technology can be used in other ways in a connected car, Hyundai Motor said.

It could project video when the car is stopped, allowing passengers to enjoy visual content.

“WayRay has expertise in developing holograms and AR display systems,” said Chi-Young-cho, chief innovation officer at Hyundai Motor.

“The collaboration between Hyundai Motor and WayRay will be utilized in smart cities and smart buildings as well, which our company is heading towards in the long term.”

The hologram display industry has been enjoying average growth rates of 30 percent per year and the market is expected to reach $3.6 billion in revenues by 2020.

WayRay is a Swiss hologram and AR company established in 2012. It dedicates 70 percent of its workforce to research and development. Global companies such as Alibaba invested in the company in the past.

BY JIN EUN-SOO [jin.eunsoo@joongang.co.kr]