Hyundai Motor Unveils ‘Hyundai Universal Solution’… Donates ‘ST1’ Vehicle Specialized for Pregnant Women
Hyundai Motor is launching a new social contribution project, ‘Hyundai Universal Solution’, starting in Seosan City, Chungcheongnam-do, to enhance mobility convenience for transportation-vulnerable populations. On Monday, the 27th, Hyundai Motor held a vehicle donation ceremony for the ‘Hyundai Universal Solution’ at Seosan City Hall, attended by Seosan Mayor Lee Wan-seob, Hyundai Motor’s Head of Business Development & Sustainability Office Jeon Hyeon-cheol, and other officials from Seosan City and Hyundai Motor, marking the start of the project.
The ‘Hyundai Universal Solution’ was designed to improve access to essential public services, including education, healthcare, and welfare, by developing and supporting specialized vehicles that can be conveniently used by pregnant women, people with disabilities, the elderly, and residents of underserved areas. Hyundai Motor selected Seosan City as the first project city for ‘Hyundai Universal Solution’, taking into account the region’s characteristics where, despite the trend of population decline and an increasing proportion of elderly residents, the total fertility rate exceeds the national and South Chungcheong Province averages.
The donated vehicle is a specialized vehicle for pregnant women based on Hyundai Motor’s electrified PBV (Purpose Built Vehicle) ST1, incorporating ‘Universal Design’ (design for all) that can be used by transportation-vulnerable populations. The ST1 provides a safe boarding environment with ▲a low-floor body and high interior ceiling ▲automatic slide steps ▲and an ‘AI guide’ that detects the rear-side when boarding and alighting. In particular, based on interviews with pregnant women, it is equipped with pregnancy-specific features such as ▲a stroller storage space created by removing the front passenger seat ▲a dedicated seatbelt designed to minimize abdominal pressure ▲and a 360-degree rotatable newborn seat.
Hyundai Motor and Seosan City will recruit users among pregnant women residing in the area who are at least 16 weeks pregnant up to 6 months after childbirth, and plan to deploy the vehicle on a pregnancy-exclusive route connecting Seongyeon-myeon and the city center starting in September. In addition, Hyundai Motor and Seosan City will assign seats with user convenience in mind, such as providing seats adjacent to the newborn seat for users accompanied by newborns, and fares will be set at the same level as city buses.
The Hyundai Motor Group’s demand-responsive transit platform ‘Shucle’ will be applied, allowing users to call a vehicle via a smartphone app from anywhere within the operating area and board or alight at their desired location, with the vehicle operating along the optimal route identified by AI. Furthermore, in cooperation with the civic organization Safety Living Practice Citizens’ Alliance, training on vehicle usage and traffic safety will be provided, and in partnership with venture company LBS Tech, a map will be built that provides walking information such as obstacles, elevators, and ramps from the vehicle drop-off point to the final destination.
Starting with this project with Seosan City, Hyundai Motor plans to expand the beneficiaries and regions of the ‘Hyundai Universal Solution’ in the future to include not only pregnant women but also people with disabilities, the elderly, and residents of underserved areas. A Hyundai Motor official stated, “Through the ‘Hyundai Universal Solution’, we will fulfill our social responsibility by reducing everyday inconveniences for transportation-vulnerable populations and contributing to the expansion of mobility rights.”
