Hyundai announced the opening of its $51.4 million Safety Test and Investigation Laboratory (STIL) in Superior Township, Michigan. The automaker plans to have it operational by mid-October 2023 with a support staff of 160 employees. The facility was developed in collaboration with NHTSA based on a 2020 Consent Order, which required an investment in a safety facility of $25 million (Hyundai increased this required investment by more than $26 million, hence the $51.4 million figure).
Jose Muñoz, President and CEO of Hyundai and Genesis Motor North America, explained in a press release issued by Hyundai Motor North America and Hyundai America Technical Center that the company aims to expand its hands-on field safety evaluation and investigation processes to help ensure driver safety. “We strive to be a leader in automotive safety,” he said.
Hyundai STIL Features
According to the press release, Hyundai’s new safety center is the first of its kind by an OEM in North America. It includes a field crash investigation lab, high voltage battery lab, forensics lab, 400m track, and a vehicle dynamics skid pad. The facility’s staff will focus on new technology development, identifying and replicating vehicle field issues, expediting investigations, and conducting regulatory safety testing. IBI Group and BCCG were responsible for the architectural design and construction of the building.
“Hyundai’s new Safety Test and Investigation Laboratory in Superior Township marks a significant investment in lowering traffic fatalities, increasing vehicle safety, and making communities around Michigan and the United States safer,” said Jason Morgan, State of Michigan Representative (D-Ann Arbor). “Michigan has been and will continue to be a leader in automobile technology as we transition to clean-energy electric vehicles.”
“The STIL differentiates itself from other automotive OEM laboratories through its dedicated purpose of investigating real-world crashes and field issues, typically done by outside vendors,” added Brian Latouf, Global Chief Safety Officer of Hyundai Motor Company. “Having such a capable and expansive safety and investigations laboratory in-house will allow Hyundai to take a more proactive approach in determining safety issues and trends early on.”
Hyundai STIL Grand Opening Ceremony
To commemorate the grand opening of the STIL, Hyundai held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, September 12th, 2023. Dr. David Harkey, President of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the Highway Loss Data Institute, was in attendance and praised Hyundai’s decision to build its STIL. “Like the impressive number of Hyundai Motor Group’s TOP SAFETY PICKs, the opening of this facility demonstrates the company’s deep commitment to creating a safe transportation system and the vision of a world where mobility does not come at the expense of people’s lives,” Dr. Harkey said.
