LAS VEGAS -- South Korean auto giant Hyundai Motor will produce a hardware platform to operate a gigabit network for its premium cars hitting the market next year, the companies said Tuesday.

The new in-vehicle network enables high-speed transfer of data and offers integrated, multilayered security, as well as full end-to-end networking, Hyundai said in an announcement with Cisco at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

The development of first-generation solutions to enable 1 gigabit-per-second Ethernet will significantly increase the in-vehicle bandwidth. Ethernet-attached devices and services are used for data control, providing flexibility, lower costs and improved security.
 
“Hyundai Motor Group‘s ongoing collaboration with top global technology companies is a testament to our ‘open innovation’ spirit that will prepare us for continued leadership as transportation and mobility undergo an unprecedented evolution,” said Hwang Seung-ho, executive vice president and head of Hyundai Motor Group’s Auto Intelligence Division.

“Our partnership with Cisco is an outstanding example of such efforts, and in 2019, we will unveil the first vehicle equipped with groundbreaking connected-car technologies jointly developed by the two companies.”

As part of a collaboration to create an open and highly secure platform, the two companies are exploring things like integration into Hyundai data centers, giving access to real-time data, the company said. This includes connecting cars to city infrastructure or the ability to communicate with lights and parking meters.

“By creating a flexible, scalable and secure platform, we are allowing automotive companies to deliver better cars -- faster,” said Ruba Borno, vice president of Cisco.

The South Korean carmaker also opened its exhibition at CES, demonstrating its vision of connecting to the future mobility. Hyundai showcased Nexo, its next-generation fuel-cell hydrogen-powered SUV for first time, while offering visitors an opportunity to experience intelligent personal cockpit -- the carmaker‘s driving assistant service based on voice recognition.

By Cho Chung-un, Korea Herald correspondent (christory@heraldcorp.com)