South Korean government probes Hyundai for engine defects, automaker joins hands with university to develop autonomous EV

Government move comes after complaints of engine stoppage in South Korea and overseas markets

The South Korean government has started an investigation into possible engine defects in Hyundai vehicles. The move comes following complaints of engine stoppages in South Korea and overseas markets. In a statement, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport (MLIT) said it launched the probe into Hyundai's Theta II engine, which is used in as many as seven models, including the YF Sonata and Kia K5 mid-sized sedans, Grandeur large sedan and Kia Sportage compact sport utility vehicle (SUV). "We will check instances of engine stoppages or noise and vibration during test drives and plan to order the recalls of affected models," the report cited a ministry official as saying. In a separate development, the automaker has teamed up with Seoul National University to develop a fully autonomous electric vehicle (EV) by 2020. Under the project, researchers will equip Hyundai's IONIQ with self-driving and safety control technologies with an aim to develop a prototype by January next year.