Hyundai Motor Group opens HMG Tech Talent Forum in Silicon Valley to recruit tech talent
Hyundai Motor Group kicked off a two-day tech talent forum at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center on September 17, 2026, pitching its Physical AI, robotics and software plans to global engineers.
- 9
- 36
- over 336,000 people
- 7 to 8 million
What Happened
Hyundai Motor Group opened the HMG Tech Talent Forum 2026 in Silicon Valley on September 17, 2026, bringing together global talent, industry experts and the Group's technology leaders to share insights on the future of mobility and emerging technologies. Held under the theme "Go Beyond Together," the two-day Forum at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center gives participants a look at the Group's technology vision, real-world innovation projects and career opportunities across its global technology network. It opened with a welcome reception followed by keynote speeches from four of the Group's top technology and HR leaders, structured as a relay in which each speaker is introduced after the next — a format the Group says reflects the cross-affiliate collaboration behind its "Global One Team" message.
- Hyundai Motor Company
- Hyundai Motor America (HMA)
- Kia Corporation
- Kia America
- Hyundai America Technical Center, Inc. (HATCI)
- Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA)
“Hyundai is becoming a technology and physical AI company. We are building robots, deploying autonomous vehicles, and developing software to make it all work seamlessly. The strength of our core business, and the scale provided by the Hyundai Motor Group, means we have the financial firepower and scale to achieve our ambitious vision. We're looking forward to sharing that vision with some of the world's top tech talent at this forum.”
“Fundamentals first. Then innovation on top. I believe it is the path that creates products people can trust. And it creates an engineering organization where talented people can learn, grow, and make a real impact. The question is not physical versus virtual — it's how we combine decades of real-world engineering experience with the speed of virtual development and AI. This is where I want this organization to lead, not follow.”
Muñoz delivered the Forum's opening keynote, "Our Future Business & Tech Strategy," outlining the Group's future business and technology strategy and its vision for leading the next era of mobility. Manfred Harrer, President and Head of the Group's R&D Division, will highlight combining strong engineering fundamentals with AI-enabled and virtual development capabilities, and the ambition to become a reference point for advanced engineering across vehicle hardware and software, batteries, hydrogen and robotics. Minwoo Park, President and Head of the Advanced Vehicle Platform (AVP) Division and CEO of 42dot, will share the Group's Physical AI vision centered on real-world data and continuous learning, pointing to the seven to eight million vehicles the Group produces annually across diverse regions, climates and markets as key to those plans. Hae In Kim, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, will present how the Group combines technology, global scale and talent, citing more than 75 group companies, over 336,000 people including more than 20,000 researchers and engineers, and 32 R&D centers.
The HMG Global Tech Talent Recruitment program launches with hiring managers.
The Forum opens at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center with a welcome reception and keynote speeches; the first Tech Session is held on the opening day.
The second Tech Session features in-depth project case studies from participating companies.
The Leaders Panel Talk, themed "Technology Shaping What's Next," brings Manfred Harrer and Minwoo Park together with other Group leaders to explore how AI, robotics, autonomous driving, electrification and smart manufacturing will reshape industries over the next decade, how organizations move from proof-of-concept projects to continuous learning and deployment at scale, and is followed by a live Q&A. The two-day Tech Sessions cover six core areas, including Physical AI, E&E architecture and electrification technology, with 36 speakers — 27 Group employees and executives plus nine external presenters — and case studies on robot deployment strategy, end-to-end autonomous driving systems, next-generation SDV architecture and battery research. An interactive exhibition themed "Moving Beyond Mobility, Transforming What's Next" traces the Group's technology journey across three zones — Beyond the Vehicle, Beyond the Road and Beyond the Industry — and includes live demonstrations of Spot, MobED and CODA. The Forum also runs HR Coffee Chat sessions and interviews for candidates advancing through the HMG Global Tech Talent Recruitment program, reflecting a R&D network spanning North America, Europe and Asia, including the recent Robot Metaplant Application Center (RMAC) at HMGMA in Georgia.
Previously from Hyundai
Earlier MotorClaw coverage reported that Hyundai Motor Group planned to host a two-day tech talent forum in Silicon Valley on September 17-18. The stated purpose was to recruit professionals as the Group expands into Physical AI and robotics.
- Hyundai Motor Group to host HMG Tech Talent Forum in Silicon Valley Sept. 17-18 for Physical AI push
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of Hyundai's official releases.
Why this matters
The Forum is Hyundai Motor Group's pitch to Silicon Valley engineers as it competes with established automakers and technology companies for the people who will build its next-generation products. It also lays out the Group's technology priorities — Physical AI, robotics, autonomous driving, electrification and software — and the scale it says it can offer recruits: more than 75 group companies, over 336,000 employees and 32 R&D centers worldwide.
Terms in This Story
- Physical AI
- Artificial intelligence applied to machines that act in the physical world, such as robots and vehicles, rather than only in software or on screens.
- SDV architecture
- Software-defined vehicle architecture: a vehicle design in which features and functions are controlled and updated largely through software.
- E&E architecture
- Electrical and electronic architecture: the network of electronic components, wiring and software that connects a vehicle's systems.
- OEM
- Original equipment manufacturer: the company that builds and brands the vehicles sold to customers.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.