Hyundai's Motional names AI veteran Laura Major as CEO amid major US expansion drive
Hyundai Motor Group announced the official appointment of robotics and artificial intelligence expert Laura Major as President and CEO of Motional, its autonomous driving joint venture based in the United States. Major, who had been serving as interim CEO since September 2024, was unanimously confirmed by Motional's board, the South Korean automotive giant said Friday, reports IANS.
The leadership update comes amid a sweeping investment push by Hyundai Motor Group in the US economy. The company recently pledged $21 billion in US investments through 2028, including $8.6 billion for the automotive sector and $6.3 billion in future technologies such as AI and energy, as part of a broader effort to localise manufacturing and innovation.
Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung made the announcement earlier this month alongside US President Donald Trump and Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, underlining the strategic alignment of the company's American expansion with rising domestic manufacturing priorities.
Motional said Major's appointment comes at a critical juncture, as the company ramps up AI development efforts ahead of its planned commercial launch of autonomous driving services in 2026.
'In partnership with Hyundai, we're bringing embodied AI to transportation and introducing significant societal benefits,' Major said in a statement. 'Leveraging our deep expertise in building fully driverless systems and our agility in realizing the latest AI breakthroughs, we are strongly positioned to unlock a future where safe autonomous vehicles are a practical part of daily life.'
Past experience
A founding executive at Motional, Major previously served as its Chief Technology Officer (CTO), where she spearheaded the development of the Ioniq 5 robotaxi. The fully driverless vehicle is among the first in the world to receive certification under US Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), marking a significant milestone in the commercialisation of autonomous mobility.
Before joining Motional, Major held senior leadership roles at Draper Laboratory and drone-tech firm Aria Insight, where she contributed to AI and autonomy projects for national security and spaceflight applications.
With Major now at the helm, Motional is expected to play a central role in Hyundai's vision for next-generation mobility and AI-led transport infrastructure in North America.
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