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Time of India
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
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.
Korea Herald
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Korea Herald
Hyundai names robotics, AI expert Laura Major as CEO of Motional
Hyundai Motor Group said Friday it has appointed Laura Major as new CEO of Motional, its Boston-based autonomous driving joint venture with Aptiv, to advance the future mobility business. Underscoring Major's previous position as chief technology officer of Motional, the automaker highlighted her new role in accelerating the company's artificial intelligence technology capabilities ahead of the commercial launch of its autonomous driving service next year. Since Motional's establishment in 2020, Major has served as CTO and has been acting as the interim CEO since September. Major previously led the team in charge of developing the Ioniq 5 robotaxi, one of the world's first driverless autonomous vehicles to receive US Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards certification. She has also been instrumental in creating a machine learning-driven autonomous driving software stack. Before joining Motional, Laura Major worked at Draper Laboratory, a US-based nonprofit research and development organization, and drone specialist Aria Insights, drone manufacturer in the US, focusing on developing autonomous and AI solutions for astronauts and national security. She is also the co-author of the book 'What to Expect When You're Expecting Robots: The Future of Human-Robot Collaboration,' which explores the future of human and robot's coexistence. 'We are committed to working with Hyundai Motor Group to integrate 'Embodied AI' into transportation, delivering significant value to society,' stated Major. 'With our deep expertise in developing fully autonomous systems and our agility in rapidly implementing the latest AI technological innovations, we are dedicated to realizing a future where safe autonomous vehicles become a practical part of everyday life.'
