Hyundai and Kia show 200 factory technologies for software-defined plants

Hyundai and Kia show 200 factory technologies for software-defined plants

18 October 2026: Hyundai Motor and Kia are showing about 200 new manufacturing technologies at E-FOREST TECH DAY 2026, held from 19 to 21 October at their Uiwang Research Institute in South Korea, with the move to software-defined factories at the centre. E-FOREST is the two carmakers' smart factory brand, applying AI and robotics across production.

Not yet independently verified. Hyundai and Kia give no cost, savings or partner details, and the event was for partners rather than open to buyers. We will update this when it can be confirmed, and remove this note.

Software-defined factories

The companies are building a unified framework for collecting and managing factory data and a common development environment, so that solutions can be developed for one site and rolled out to others. The exhibition shows quality inspection systems built on that foundation and a rollout plan, based on standardised technology, that "can be rapidly applied to their plants in Korea and overseas."

Two items stand out:

• Digital twins that simulate actual factory equipment in a virtual space, so problems can be found before they occur on the line.
• AI agents for factory operations, which retrieve and interpret data, search manufacturing know-how and draft equipment manuals.

Automation and new processes

In automation, the focus is on assembly and inspection. Hyundai and Kia show a tunnel-type exterior inspection system that checks a finished vehicle's body through 3D simulation. They developed it themselves in place of third-party systems and plan to apply it to plants in Korea and overseas. The exhibition also covers smart energy management, new forming techniques and additive manufacturing that makes parts without moulds.

"We will keep working to expand the use of these new technologies in our production plants and put them into practice on the factory floor," said Hyun Chul Cho, vice president and head of the E-FOREST Strategy Group at Hyundai Motor Group.

Why suppliers should notice

The event is in its seventh year and shares technology developed by Hyundai and Kia's Manufacturing Solution Division and its partner companies. The in-house inspection system is a reminder that large manufacturers increasingly build their own automation software rather than buy it, which changes what they want from vendors: standard data interfaces, components that slot into their own platforms, and support for rollout across many plants. Machine vision and digital twin suppliers selling to automotive should take that into account. Our robotics integrator category lists 25 companies.

Sources

• Hyundai Motor Group newsroom: Hyundai Motor and Kia present smart manufacturing technologies and SDF vision at E-FOREST TECH DAY 2026, 18 October 2026