“In the end, we decided to remove the option” Kia EV9 HDP will not be released within the year
It has become unclear when HDP (Highway Driving Assist Pilot), a level 3 autonomous driving technology scheduled to be installed in the Kia EV9, will be applied. It has been reported that Kia recently excluded HDP specifications from its website catalog and price list and informed customers with existing contracts.
At the time of launch, Kia EV9 was equipped with HDP technology, a specialized specification for the high-performance GT line model, and announced plans to release it within the year. HDP is a level 3 autonomous driving technology that uses a total of 15 sensors, including two lidar sensors, to allow the vehicle to drive on its own.
If HDP technology was applied to EV9, it could secure the title of the first level 3 autonomous vehicle among domestic models. Therefore, although the HDP specification option price was 7.42 million won, which was a very expensive specification compared to other options, consumers' expectations were high.
HDP was previously scheduled to be added to the model year change model of the Genesis flagship sedan G90, but was not applied due to various variables in highway driving situations. EV9 also planned to introduce the technology within the year after sufficient technology verification, but it is known that it is having difficulty securing sufficient safety.
In particular, in the case of EV9, consumers' expectations for actual mass production were high as the EV9 GT line design with LiDAR sensor was revealed. But now even the release date has become unclear.
Meanwhile, the price of Kia EV9 starts at 77.28 million won, and the GT line model with HDP specifications is priced at 83.97 million won. With the deletion of the HDP specification, consumers who selected the HDP specification will have to choose to switch or cancel their contract.