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Kia Motors granted Nevada autonomous driving license



- US state of Nevada grants Korean manufacturer permission to test autonomous driving technologies on public roads

- Soul EV's Advanced Driver Assistance Systems tested in Beatty, Nevada

- US$2 billion investment by 2018 to develop autonomous vehicle technology

- Kia to introduce partially-autonomous driving technologies by 2020, with

arrival of fully-autonomous vehicles targeted for 2030



(SEOUL) December 14, 2015 – Kia Motors has been granted a licence by the US state of Nevada to carry out testing of its autonomous driving technologies on public roads for the first time.



Kia – together with sister company Hyundai – hopes to experiment with partially- and fully- autonomous driving technologies in real-world conditions, an important part of its roadmap for autonomous driving.



Kia plans to introduce a range of partially-autonomous driving technologies to its model line- up including eco-friendly vehicles by 2020, and is aiming to bring its first fully-autonomous car to market by 2030. The initial stage of investment by Kia and Hyundai – totalling US$2 billion by 2018 – will enable the companies to develop new Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) technologies and employ a greater number of engineers. The investment will lead to the introduction of next-generation smart vehicles in the coming years.



Dr. Tae-Won Lim, Vice President, Central Advanced Research and Engineering Institute of Hyundai Motor Group, commented, "A great deal of research and rigorous product testing is being undertaken in order to make the 'self-driving car' a reality. Thanks to this license we will be able to accelerate the testing of our new autonomous driving technologies that are currently in the early stages of development, with particular emphasis on our alternative powertrain vehicles. We are confident that our latest innovations – both for partially- and fully-autonomous driving – will ultimately make driving safer for all road users."



Kia Advanced Driver Assistance System



Kia is planning to introduce a range of partially-autonomous ADAS technologies in the coming years, with an array of new functions anticipated for introduction to market by 2020. These include Traffic Jam Assist (TJA), Highway Autonomous Driving (HAD), Urban Autonomous Driving (UAD), Emergency Stop System (ESS), and Autonomous Valet Parking technologies.



At all times, the new range of ADAS technologies can be circumvented by direct driver control, enabling closer control of the car as desired.



These new technologies will join the suite of features already offered by Kia on its latest production vehicles, including the Sorento and the soon-to-be-launched all-new Optima and Sportage. These technologies are primarily designed to make driving safer and easier for Kia customers by identifying hazards at the earliest possible opportunity and allowing the driver – or the car – to take the appropriate reaction. Existing Kia technologies include Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS), Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS), Blind Spot Detection (BSD), Auto Emergency Braking (AEB) and Advanced Smart Cruise Control (ASCC).



Kia plans to bring fully-autonomous cars to market within 15 years



Over the longer-term, Kia is targeting 2030 for the introduction of fully-autonomous vehicles. As a key part of Kia's development of fully-autonomous driving technologies – the true 'self- driving car' – Kia is focusing R&D resources on vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to- infrastructure (V2I) and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication.



By enabling cars to effectively communicate directly and independently with their surroundings, Kia will be able to make ADAS-equipped vehicles as safe and efficient as possible.



Photo caption: (left) Robin Allender, Deputy Administrator of Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles, and (right) Dr. Tae-Won Lim, Vice President, Central Advanced Research and Engineering Institute of Hyundai Motor Group



About Kia Motors Corporation



Kia Motors Corporation (www.kia.com) – a maker of quality vehicles for the young-at-heart – was founded in 1944 and is Korea's oldest manufacturer of motor vehicles. Over 3 million Kia vehicles a year are produced in 10 manufacturing and assembly operations in five countries which are then sold and serviced through a network of distributors and dealers covering around 180 countries. Kia today has around 49,000 employees worldwide and annual revenues of nearly US$45 billion. It is the major sponsor of the Australian Open and an official automotive partner of FIFA – the governing body of the FIFA World CupTM. Kia Motors Corporation's brand slogan – "The Power to Surprise" – represents the company's global commitment to surprise the world by providing exciting and inspiring experiences that go beyond expectations.



For more information about Kia Motors and our products, please visit our Global Media Center at www.kianewscenter.com.



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