Hyundai Motor Group has been named Automaker of the Year at the 2026 AutoTech Awards, the event’s highest honor recognizing excellence in electric vehicle innovation, connected mobility, safety, and automotive design. The award was presented during the inaugural combined AutoTech Awards and WardsAuto ceremony held on June 2, further reinforcing the Group’s growing leadership in the global mobility landscape.
The recognition builds on Hyundai Motor Group’s recent achievements, including three consecutive World Car of the Year titles and continued success across its Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis brands. Judges highlighted the Group’s dedicated EV platform, strong safety credentials, and award-winning vehicle designs as key factors behind the accolade. At the same event, the Genesis GV70 3.5T Sport Prestige also received recognition as a winner of the 2026 Wards 10 Best Interiors & UX Award.
This marks Hyundai Motor Group’s first group-level technology leadership award, following Hyundai Motor America’s OEM of the Year wins in 2021 and 2024. The honor reflects the company’s integrated technology ecosystem, which combines shared research and development capabilities, coordinated software platforms, and a unified innovation strategy across its mobility brands.
Commenting on the achievement, Manfred Harrer, President and Head of R&D Division at Hyundai Motor Group said the award recognizes the efforts of teams continuously advancing EV technologies, 800-volt ultra-fast charging systems, vehicle safety, and design excellence. He added that the recognition serves as motivation to further push the boundaries of automotive innovation.
Building on this momentum, Hyundai Motor Group plans to accelerate the development of software-defined vehicles (SDVs), enhance connected mobility capabilities, and continue advancing EV performance, safety, and design standards. The company said these initiatives align with its long-term vision of leading the global transition toward intelligent, connected, and sustainable mobility solutions.
