Hyundai Rolls Out 'Hyundai Universal Solution'... Donates 'ST1' Vehicle Specially Designed for Pregnant Women

Hyundai Motor is launching a new social contribution project, 'Hyundai Universal Solution', starting in Seosan City, South Chungcheong Province, to improve mobility convenience for transportation-vulnerable individuals. 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 Management Office Jeon Hyeon-cheol, and other officials from Seosan City and Hyundai Motor, marking the start of the project.

The 'Hyundai Universal Solution' has been designed to improve access to essential public services, including education, healthcare, and welfare, by developing and supporting specialised vehicles that can be conveniently used by pregnant women, people with disabilities, the elderly, and residents of under-served 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 both the national and South Chungcheong Province averages.

The donated vehicle is a pregnancy-specialised vehicle based on Hyundai Motor's electrified PBV (Purpose Built Vehicle) ST1, incorporating 'Universal Design' (design for all) principles to accommodate transportation-vulnerable users. The ST1 provides a safe boarding environment with ▲a low-floor body and high interior height ▲automatic slide steps ▲and an 'AI guide' that detects the rear-side area when boarding and alighting. In particular, based on interviews with pregnant women, it is equipped with pregnancy-tailored specifications including ▲a pram storage space created by removing the front passenger seat ▲a dedicated safety belt designed to minimise 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 six months after giving birth, and will deploy the vehicle on a dedicated pregnancy route connecting Seongyeon-myeon and the city centre from 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.

Hyundai Motor Group's demand-responsive transport platform 'Shucle' will be applied, allowing users to call a vehicle via 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 collaboration with the civic organisation Safety Living Practice Citizens' Alliance, training on vehicle usage and traffic safety will be provided, and together with venture company LBS Tech, a map will be developed that provides pedestrian information such as obstacles, lifts, and ramps from the alighting point to the final destination.

Starting with this project in 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 under-served areas. A Hyundai Motor official stated, "Through the 'Hyundai Universal Solution', we will fulfil our social responsibility by reducing everyday inconveniences for transportation-vulnerable individuals and contributing to the expansion of mobility rights."