In the field of automotive safety, technology capable of detecting in advance not only the vehicle immediately ahead but also the one in front of it has long been a major challenge. With such technology, multi-vehicle collisions on highways could be prevented, and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving technologies could be developed in a significantly more innovative way. However, it has been difficult to realize this capability using existing obstacle-detection sensors such as cameras and lidar.

Hyundai Motor Group has unveiled for the first time technology that detects obstacles in blind spots. Hyundai Motor and Kia announced on the 29th that they have developed, for the first time in the world, “Vision Pulse,” a technology that uses radio waves to identify the position of surrounding obstacles in real time to support safe driving.

Vision Pulse is a technology in which a radio wave transmitter installed in the vehicle emits ultra-wideband (UWB) radio waves to detect obstacles. When UWB at gigahertz (GHz) frequencies is emitted in all directions, it travels around or penetrates obstacles, reaches those located in blind spots, and then sends this information back to the vehicle. Due to the characteristics of UWB, interference with other radio waves is minimal, and obstacles can be detected within 1–5 ms (1 ms is one-thousandth of a second). The company explained that “within a range of 100 meters, the system can identify obstacles with an error margin of less than 10 centimeters, providing a high level of precision.”

In particular, for vehicles equipped with the “Digital Key 2” option, which allows the engine to be started with a smartphone, once Vision Pulse technology is commercialized, the function will be available through a software update without adding any separate hardware. For detection by this system, pedestrians and other vehicles must also carry or be equipped with a UWB transmitter, but costs are expected to be low, which should accelerate adoption. This is because UWB technology is already used in loss-prevention and location-tracking products such as Apple AirTag and Galaxy SmartTag, as well as in the latest smartphones.

Since last year, Hyundai Motor Group has been conducting a technology demonstration project by pilot-applying this technology to forklifts operating on the production line at Kia’s Purpose Built Vehicle (PBV) Conversion Center in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, in order to prevent collision accidents between forklifts and workers. In October last year, the group also signed a business cooperation agreement with Busan Port Authority and plans to soon carry out a technology verification project to prevent collision accidents by installing this technology on industrial vehicles operating in Busan Port terminals and hinterland sites.

A company official stated, “Vision Pulse is a technology that reflects to the utmost our philosophy of putting safety first,” adding, “As this technology can be applied not only to the mobility industry but also across other sectors where safety is critical, it is expected to make a significant contribution to human and industrial safety in the future.”

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