Hyundai Motor Group Replaces R&D Chief to Accelerate Future Mobility Push
Creatrip Team
3 months ago
Hyundai Motor Group has reshuffled its R&D leadership, promoting Manfred Harrer to head the R&D division while the head of the Advanced Vehicle Platform (AVP) unit remains unfilled after Song Chang-hyun’s resignation. The move signals urgency as global tech firms advance toward commercial autonomous driving. Harrer, who joined Hyundai last year and led vehicle development including Genesis’s high-performance 'Magma' line, will act as R&D control tower while the company searches for an AVP successor—possibly an external autonomous-driving expert. Hyundai emphasizes tighter HW-SW collaboration to deliver Software-Defined Vehicles (SDV) and plans to internalize core technologies like the Atria AI (autonomous driving) and the next-gen infotainment “PleoS Connect.” The shake-up underlines Hyundai’s shift to tech-focused management and faster execution on future mobility.
