Hyundai Motor and Kia host hackathon to develop in-car apps

Hyundai Motor Company and Kia recently concluded their internal hackathon, titled ‘24H Code Race,’ held at Pangyo Tech One. The event aimed to revitalize the ‘App Market’ ecosystem based on their next-generation infotainment system, Pleos Connect, and to foster a software-centric corporate culture.

Approximately 100 employees, including both researchers and general staff, participated in the 24-hour competition. Using generative AI tools for ‘vibe coding’—where users describe functions in natural language to assist code writing—participants developed prototypes in categories such as safety, healthcare, entertainment, and gamification. This approach allowed non-professional developers to participate in the creation of vehicle-specific applications.

The grand prize was awarded to Team SyncLab for ‘TaleSync,’ an interactive audio storytelling service that synchronizes real-time driving data with a child's reactions to conclude a story exactly when the vehicle reaches its destination. Other award-winning services included ‘Baby Sweet Sleep Drive,’ ‘Majung,’ and ‘AcciT.’

Hyundai and Kia plan to review the winning entries for potential integration into actual vehicles and intend to expand the Pleos app ecosystem by encouraging participation from external developers.