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Luc Donckerwolke steps down as head of Hyundai Group design

Automotive News got hold of "an internal note" declaring that Hyundai Group design chief Luc Donckerwolke is stepping down today for "personal reasons." After ex-Volkswagen Group pen Peter Schreyer took over Kia design in 2006 and began the South Korean automaker's renaissance, Donckerwolke became the next VW Group design emigre to head east in 2015. He began his tenure in charge of Hyundai and Genesis, then took over as group design head when Schreyer stepped back from day-to-day operations in November 2018. Donckerwolke pushed for emotional products and brands that didn't look like different-sized versions of one another, dividing the trio of company makes into sexy and sporty Hyundai, young and cool Kia, and haute couture Genesis. Two of the three brands are on their way. Kia's got some top products but is still tweaking its formula.  The Belgian's design resume stretches back to his first job at Peugeot in 1990, where he stayed for two years before moving to Volkswagen. That's where things get good, a 23-year run including work on the first-generation Skoda Octavia and Fabia, the Audi A2, A4 Avant, and R8 Le Mans race car, the Lamborghini Diablo VT, Gallardo and Murcielago, and the Bentley Flying Spur among many others. Credits at Hyundai include the Kona and Palisade, and at Genesis, the G80 and G90 sedans and the GV80 crossover. Considering Donckerwolke's background, it's no surprise to hear he opined for a Genesis supercar within a year of arrival at Hyundai, and had ideas about what he wanted to do. He said at the 2016 New York Auto Show, "I won't reveal the secret now because it's still my baby! Obviously, yes, this is part of the interest of designing a brand, being able to create [supercars]. It's not just something which we'll do, let's say a rational traditional project, but there will be some highlights." It's too bad we'll miss that. Hyundai Group bosses won't name a successor yet, leaving SangYup Lee as head of design at Hyundai and Genesis and Karim Habib, the ex-BMW and ex-Infiniti designer hired last year, in charge of Kia design. Donckerwolke issued a statement that read in part, "It's been an honor and privilege to contribute to the shaping of the future of Hyundai, Kia and Genesis.

Woman executive of South Korea's Hyundai Motor resigns amid #MeToo wave

SEOUL — A female executive of South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor has resigned after being accused of pressuring female subordinates to pour drinks for, and dance with, senior male members of staff, the Yonhap news agency said on Tuesday. The global #MeToo movement has accelerated in South Korea since January, spawning accusations of sexual misconduct and prosecution investigations of prominent figures. Fear of reprisal has made South Koreans traditionally wary of being whistleblowers over harassment at family-run conglomerates that dominate the economy, with open accusations of this type far outnumbered by anonymous posts on the subject. Yonhap, citing Hyundai Motor, said a female employee had made the accusation while preparing to leave the company, saying the woman executive had pressured her female subordinates to attend a drinking party with senior men and pour drinks. She also accused the executive of pressuring the women to dance with men at a karaoke session, and said the men were in positions that could influence the female executive's position in the corporation, Yonhap reported. In a statement, Hyundai Motor said media reports on the issue did not reflect its views and policies. "We will take appropriate actions on any irregularities or breaches by individuals within the company that do not ensure equality in the workplace," it said, declining further comment. Neither Hyundai Motor nor the news agency identified the executive. Hyundai Motor had three female executives among its total of 298 executives by the end of 2017, regulatory filings show. Reporting by Joyce Lee.Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Image Credit: REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji Government/Legal Hirings/Firings/Layoffs Hyundai resignation

Hyundai, Kia, Genesis will get chip maker NVIDIA's infotainment in deal

Chip maker NVIDIA Corp on Monday announced that Hyundai Motor Group will use the NVIDIA DRIVE in-vehicle information and entertainment system for all its Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis models from 2022. NVIDIA said the luxury vehicle division of Hyundai, Genesis, already uses NVIDIA DRIVE for its GV80 and G80 models. (You can read a bit about the Genesis infotainment systems in Autoblog's recent driving reviews of the G80 sedan and the GV80 SUV, and our buying guide for the latter.)  NVIDIA declined to say how many vehicles NVIDIA DRIVE would be installed in, but said it is a large number and pointed to the fact that in 2019 Hyundai Motor Group shipped over 7 million vehicles. Hyundai Motor Co is the flagship company of Hyundai Motor Group, and Kia Motors Corp is its sister company. NVIDIA DRIVE includes hardware and software components and uses artificial intelligence to improve the user's experience. The software can be "perpetually" updated, giving vehicles the latest AI cockpit features, said NVIDIA. NVIDIA said it has also been working with Mercedes-Benz, Audi and Honda on in-car entertainment and information systems. Related Video: