Partnership

ZER01NE Playground sets disruptive innovation free

6 minute read

Game-changing breakthroughs and technology have always depended on inciting and empowering creativity. And what better place to achieve this than a playground, where people from all walks of life can unleash their creativity to its full potential? Welcome to ZER01NE Playground, the unprecedented arm of open innovation within Hyundai Motor Group, which brings together creators from an eclectic mix of disciplines to imagine new futures.

Global talent for a world of possibilities

At the heart of ZER01NE Playground is the celebration and support of talent in all its diversity and unique facets. As an automobile manufacturer, we at Hyundai are inspired by creative ideas ranging from artistic expression to perspective-altering technologies, helping to engineer the future of mobility. That is why, every year, ZER01NE Playground invites a group of creators worldwide through an open call. All applicants must submit a project proposal relevant to pre-defined themes. This year's themes include AI, climate tech, robotics, and future mobility. All selected creators can look forward to financial- and other project-important support necessary to bring their projects to life, as well as showcasing their work at the ZER01NE Day festival held annually every October in Seoul.

It's showtime – ZER01NE Day

Since ZER01NE's beginning, ZER01NE Day has been the signature festival showcasing creative endeavors that were 'incubated' and brought to life during that year. The public event exhibits various creations and research findings, a few of which were developed in cooperation with Hyundai Motor Group and its emerging technologies. This year, creators from ZER01NE Playground will be showcasing their projects alongside the startups from ZER01NE Ventures, who will be displaying their very own ground-breaking products and technologies. Aside from presenting new conceptual and technical horizons, the festival is also a stage to inspire creative talents to participate in future ZER01NE programs.

A view showing the inside of a blue-illuminated tunnel as seen from the driver's perspective

A parked GENESIS GV80 stands in front of a screen that shows a white sphere made of tiny lights

When creators come out to play

Among the many aspects that make ZER01NE unique is the approach to the innovation process. All creators are encouraged to raise new questions, seek answers, and be a source of inspiration on how to interpret future needs and beneficially shape our world. Their work and creative drive help inspire us as a mobility provider to imagine new possibilities for our products and services.

Seated viewers watch a screen showing a Hyundai GENESIS GV80 drive down an animated city street

Shared visions & success in the Z-LAB

The creative visions of ZER01NE Creators do not stop at their projects; some go on extended journeys to inspire new mobility concept breakthroughs. Our Z-LAB track is a vital part of the journey, where new solutions and ground-breaking ideas are given the necessary resources and expert know-how to flourish. Every year, the engineers at our Namyang R&D Center approach ZER01NE Playground with new technology in testing to create new user experiences in cars.
ZER01NE Creators can submit proposals to build these scenarios, and selected teams get the chance to collaborate with our engineers directly. Z-Lab is a comprehensive program that gives creators access to our Namyang Center, a crucial hub of our global R&D network. There, creators can collaborate with on-site engineers and researchers while gaining access to vital knowledge, technology, and equipment. Facilities include a world-class design center, a powertrain lab, a proving ground, wind tunnels, crash test facilities, and more.

A man stands in front of a small table in an auditorium-like room and works on his laptop

Z-LAB Project: Timescaper (2023)

Timescaper is a multipartner collaboration that explores a future where autonomous driving technology has become commercialized. A key theme of the project is suggesting new ways in which people interact with their cars and outside surroundings, as they no longer need to physically drive the vehicle. The installation consists of a stationary IONIQ 5 and a surround screen on which images are projected.

All those participating in the installation become passengers in a shared autonomous vehicle called Timescaper, which takes them from their starting point at the ZER01NE Habitat to their destination. On the way, passengers transform into ZER01NE Creators, who can access the Spatial Perception map feature, allowing them to recall past moments, traverse spacetime information, and directly communicate with nature or the city.
The installation aims to illuminate our and our vehicle's relation to the environment, the journey, and the coming technology that will revolutionize the passenger experience.

The interior of a GENESIS GV80 with the animated Timescaper program projected in front of it

The robotic dog Spot poses for the camera

Playing for progress

Whether it’s the innovative-driven action of Playground, the intriguing debut of ideas during ZER01NE Day, or in-depth cooperation between creators and HMG at the Z-LAB, we at Hyundai will continue to bring people and ideas together and be an element of beneficial change.
We are both grateful and proud to have helped so many startups and visionaries move their ideas from the project stage to full-fledged products and services. And there’s more innovation, fascination, and excitement ahead. See what this year’s creators have been up to during the 2024 ZER01NE Day and get inspired.

2024 ZER01NE DAY – 01 ECOSYSTEM
Date: 10.23 – 10.27, 2024

Locations
PEACHES D8NE
9, Yeonmujang 3-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul

GONGGAN WADIZ
7-1, Yeonmujang 1-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul

Follow @hyundai and @zer01ne.zone on Instagram for updates on this year's ZER01NE Day.