Hyundai Motor rolls out HCloud platform for 10 million users

Hyundai Motor Group is implementing its private cloud platform, HCloud, within Equinix data centres worldwide to serve its more than 10 million connected car service subscribers.

The HCloud system is Hyundai Motor Group's proprietary cloud platform, developed to address increasing requirements for real-time data processing, seamless connectivity, and the need for scalable infrastructure due to accelerating advancements in connected and autonomous vehicle technologies.

By using Equinix International Business Exchange data centres across Asia, the United States, and Europe, as well as Equinix Fabric, Hyundai Motor Group is interconnecting its HCloud to multiple public cloud providers, including Amazon Web Services (AWS). This hybrid multicloud architecture aims to quicken the global rollout of connected car services, offering reliable connectivity, consistent service coverage, and lower latency for users.

The Group's connected car service (CCS) delivers in-car infotainment and mobile applications via wireless networks, serving the customer bases of its brands Hyundai Motor, Kia, and Genesis. Since the launch of CCS in 2003, over 10 million subscribers have joined worldwide as of 2023, with a target to reach 20 million by 2026. Considerable investments are being made in the development and expansion of HCloud to support new offerings, including personalised driving experiences.

Industry forecasts indicate that 95% of new vehicles may be connected by 2030. In response, Hyundai Motor Group identified the need for distributed data processing infrastructure and proximity to cloud and network ecosystems to maintain a high-quality user experience. This led to the installation of HCloud in Equinix data centres in Seoul, Los Angeles, and Frankfurt, chosen for their international reach, high carrier density, and reliability supported by service-level agreements.

Equinix's geographical proximity to significant cloud and network providers facilitates Hyundai Motor Group's ability to connect with key partners while helping to ensure robust performance and scalability of its connected car services.

Implementing HCloud at Equinix has, according to the company, enhanced application responsiveness and improved the reliability of remote services. This collaboration is seen as supporting Hyundai Motor Group's transition towards software-defined vehicles and establishing the groundwork for more advanced connected mobility solutions.

Youngjoo Han, Vice President and Head of IT Infra Center at Hyundai Motor Group, commented on the collaboration: "By leveraging Equinix's global data centres, we are providing high-quality connected car service and improving user experience through reduced latency, stable global connectivity and enhanced scalability of our HCloud platform. The partnership with Equinix is taking us a step closer to becoming the global leader in connected car services. We look forward to continuing this journey with Equinix to sustain the momentum of our growing connected car ecosystem worldwide."

Chris Jang, Managing Director of Equinix Korea, highlighted the significance of hybrid cloud solutions for automotive companies: "The future of the automotive industry lies in connected cars. Through a hybrid multicloud infrastructure, auto manufacturers can take advantage of cloud services while maintaining the flexibility to choose between secure, dedicated colocation infrastructure and highly scalable cloud services for each workload they support. Equinix, with its global footprint, offers not only the necessary infrastructure but also an interconnected digital ecosystem and network-dense infrastructure. This can enable Korean companies, including Hyundai Motor, to accelerate their digital transformation and optimise the customer experience."