Hey guys! Your Seoul-based bestie is back! You know how much we love seeing Hyundai and Kia cars all over the U.S. now. They’re sleek, they’re stylish, and they’re packed with tech. But there’s one piece of future-tech we’ve all been eagerly waiting for that seems to be stuck in traffic: fully autonomous driving.
The Level 3 Dream
So, like, three years ago, Hyundai made this huge announcement. They said they were going to release cars with ‘Level 3’ autonomous driving technology. In simple terms, Level 3 means the car can drive itself on the highway without you needing to touch the steering wheel or pedals. You could theoretically text or watch a video, but you still have to be ready to take over if the car asks you to. It was supposed to debut in the super-luxe Genesis G90 and the popular Kia EV9. We were all SO hyped!
So… What’s the Holdup?
Fast forward to today, December 2025, and that feature is still mostly a ‘coming soon’ promise. The official reason for the delay is actually a good one: safety. Hyundai has repeatedly said they want to be 1000% sure the system is perfectly safe before handing the controls over to the car’s computer. And honestly, we can respect that! No one wants a glitch on the Gyeongbu Expressway. But at the same time, with competitors pushing forward, the anticipation is turning into a little bit of impatience. Everyone’s wondering if they were too ambitious with their timeline.
Progress is Still Happening!
It’s not all radio silence, though! Hyundai is making big moves with its robotaxi service through a company called Motional, which is a joint venture they have. You can already see their self-driving IONIQ 5s cruising around Las Vegas! This shows the core technology is definitely there and being tested in the real world. It seems like they’re perfecting the tech in these controlled taxi environments before putting it into the cars we buy. The new goal for seeing Level 3 in consumer cars seems to be shifting towards 2026 or later.
My Take from Seoul
Living in a city with some of the craziest traffic, the idea of a car that drives itself is literally a dream come true. While it’s a bit of a bummer that we have to wait longer, I’d much rather have it safe than have it now. Here’s hoping we see this amazing tech become a reality soon. I’m ready for my hands-free commute to that new cafe in Gangnam! What do you guys think? Is safety worth the wait?
