Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Hold '2026 R&D Partners Tech Day,' Unveil 42 New Technologies

Daedong Door's "Soft Opening Latch" Wins Top Award

Hyundai Motor and Kia are strengthening mutually beneficial research and development (R&D) partnerships with their suppliers to boost their competitiveness in future mobility.

Manfred Harrer, president and head of Hyundai Motor and Kia’s R&D Division (center), examines a new technology exhibit that won the top prize at the “2026 R&D Partners Tech Day,” held at Rolling Hills Hotel in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, on the 14th. From left: Park Sangyeol, executive director of Daedong Door; Lee Taekseong, chairman of the Korea Automobile Industry Cooperative Association; Park Sanghyun, vice president in charge of Commercial LCM; Manfred Harrer; and Song Seungcheol, president of Daedong Door. Hyundai Motor.

Hyundai Motor and Kia said they held the 2026 R&D Partners Tech Day at Rolling Hills Hotel in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, on Oct. 14. Attendees included Manfred Harrer, president and head of the R&D Division; Moon Seongjun, chairman of the Hyundai Motor and Kia Suppliers Association; Lee Taekseong, chairman of the Korea Automobile Industry Cooperative; and An Jeonggu, chairman of the K-Mobility Bridge Foundation.

The event showcased 42 technologies developed by 37 suppliers. It also featured awards for five outstanding supplier technologies and presentations on new technology cases.

Outstanding supplier technologies were selected in four categories: chassis, body, electronics, and electrification and batteries. The technology receiving the highest evaluation was awarded the top prize.

The top prize went to “Soft Opening Latch,” developed by Daedong Door in the electronics category. The technology is a domestically developed first-of-its-kind innovation. It uses a cinching gear inside the latch to reduce noise when the locking device is released. By improving the tailgate’s closing stability, it reduces abnormal noises and other noise generated while driving by about 18%.

Excellence awards went to Donghee Industrial’s “Rear View Monitor (RVM) Camera Ultrasonic Cleaning Module,” Kyungchang Industrial’s “Accelerator Pedal with Misoperation Detection,” and Hwashin’s “Front Lower Arm with Local Heat Treatment in the 1.8 GPa Class” in the chassis category, as well as Clarios Delkor’s “hAGM Next-Generation Battery Technology for Improved Charge Acceptance” in the electrification and batteries category.

Manfred Harrer, president and head of R&D at Hyundai Motor and Kia (center), poses for a commemorative photo with award recipients at the 2026 R&D Partner Tech Day held at Rolling Hills Hotel in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, on the 14th. From left: Lee Taehee, president of Donghee Industrial; Cha Seokju, vice chairman of Kyung Chang Industrial; Song Seungcheol, president of Daedong Door; Harrer; Jung Seojin, president of Hwashin; and Kim Gwangsik, division head at Clarios Delkor. Hyundai Motor

Hyundai Motor and Kia plan to post videos of all 42 new technologies online through Nov. 30, where employees of the companies and their suppliers will be able to view them. “Our suppliers’ outstanding technologies and innovations are a driving force behind Hyundai Motor and Kia’s competitiveness,” Harrer said. “We will expand technological exchanges and cooperation to prepare together for the future mobility era.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.