Hyundai and Kia give first keynote at Aachen Colloquium 2026
In short
Hyundai Motor and Kia said Manfred Harrer, head of their R&D division, gave the opening-session keynote at the Aachen Colloquium 2026, held Oct 5–7 in Aachen, Germany — the first time the companies have keynoted the European automotive technology conference. Harrer presented an electrification strategy spanning EV, hybrid, range-extender and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles and said AI should expand engineers rather than replace them. The companies also ran an exhibition on hydrogen and electrification technology and offered test drives of The All New Nexo and GV60 Magma.
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Hyundai Motor and Kia said they took part in the Aachen Colloquium 2026, a European automotive technology conference held in Aachen, Germany, from Oct 5 to Oct 7. The companies said Manfred Harrer, president and head of their R&D division, gave the keynote at the opening session on the second day of the event, on Oct 6. Both companies said it was the first time they had given a keynote at the colloquium. [ 1 , 3 ]
In the keynote, titled “Beyond boundaries, expanding a sustainable future,” Harrer addressed the combination of engineering and artificial intelligence. According to Yonhap, he said AI is not a technology that replaces engineers but a tool that expands their capabilities and maximises creativity. Seoul Economic Daily reported that he presented an electrification strategy covering electric, hybrid, range-extender electric and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, and said the convergence of engineering technology and AI-based digital capabilities would determine future automotive development competitiveness. [ 1 , 3 ]
Harrer also described a vision in which vehicles learn a user's driving patterns and preferences to offer tailored driving support and continue to evolve after delivery through data and software updates. The companies said they are building a “data flywheel” that uses vehicle data and customer experience to improve products and services, and pursuing R&D innovation through a development system centred on digital twins and virtual verification. [ 1 , 3 ]
Harrer said, “Future mobility cannot be realised with a single technology or solution,” adding that connecting the strengths of various technologies would be the core of future mobility competitiveness. [ 1 , 3 ]
At the conference venue, Hyundai and Kia operated an exhibition on hydrogen fuel cells and electrification technology. Yonhap said they also ran test-drive programmes for The All New Nexo and the GV60 Magma. Seoul Economic Daily reported that the hydrogen displays included a polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis stack, a hydrogen storage tank and the fuel-cell system of The All New Nexo, while the electrification displays included battery packs and cells, a two-stage motor system, a next-generation hybrid transmission (TMED-II) and a power module. [ 1 , 3 ]
Seoul Economic Daily said the companies planned to join technical sessions on Oct 7 covering hydrogen, electrification and batteries, sharing the future potential of hydrogen fuel-cell technology, expansion strategies for electrification and directions for next-generation battery-based mobility. Yonhap reported that the 2026 colloquium was the 35th edition, while Seoul Economic Daily said the event began in 1987. [ 1 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The keynote puts Hyundai and Kia's engineering roadmap in front of European automakers, suppliers and researchers at a conference the companies describe as a leading industry gathering. Both outlets frame the first keynote as a sign of the carmakers' standing in global R&D, while the materials shown point to how the group plans to combine electrification and hydrogen.
Key facts
- Hyundai and Kia took part in the Aachen Colloquium 2026 in Aachen, Germany, held from Oct 5 to Oct 7. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Manfred Harrer, president and head of Hyundai and Kia's R&D division, gave the keynote at the opening session on the event's second day. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Both companies said it was the first time they had given a keynote at the Aachen Colloquium. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Harrer said AI is not a technology that replaces engineers but a tool that expands their capabilities and maximises creativity. [ 1 ]
- Hyundai and Kia said they are building a “data flywheel” and pursuing R&D innovation through a development system centred on digital twins and virtual verification. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The companies operated an exhibition on hydrogen fuel cells and electrification technology at the conference venue. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Hyundai and Kia ran test-drive programmes for The All New Nexo and the GV60 Magma. [ 1 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Hyundai and Kia took part in the Aachen Colloquium 2026, held in Aachen, Germany, from Oct 5 to Oct 7. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Manfred Harrer, president and head of Hyundai and Kia's R&D division, gave the keynote at the opening session on the second day of the event. [ 1 , 3 ]
- It was the first time Hyundai and Kia gave a keynote at the Aachen Colloquium. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Harrer said AI is not a technology that replaces engineers but a tool that expands their capabilities and maximises creativity. [ 1 ]
- Hyundai and Kia said they are building a data flywheel based on vehicle data and customer experience and pursuing R&D innovation through a development system centred on digital twins and virtual verification. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The companies operated an exhibition on hydrogen fuel cells and electrification technology at the conference. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Harrer said future mobility cannot be realised with a single technology or solution and that connecting the strengths of various technologies will be the core of competitiveness. [ 1 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- The number of editions of the Aachen Colloquium. Yonhap describes the 2026 event as the 35th edition, while Seoul Economic Daily says the event began in 1987; the documents do not explain the difference.
- The outcome of the technical sessions planned for Oct 7 on hydrogen, electrification and batteries. Seoul Economic Daily said only that the companies planned to take part.
- Whether the Newsis report contained additional details on the conference. The article text in the document was about the Nuri rocket launch and did not match its headline, so only its headline summary covered this event.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- The three-day Aachen Colloquium 2026 opens in Aachen, Germany, running through Oct 7. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Manfred Harrer, head of Hyundai and Kia's R&D division, delivers the opening-session keynote, the first by the companies at the event. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Hyundai and Kia announce their participation and the keynote. [ 1 ]
- Seoul Economic Daily reports the keynote, exhibition details and the sessions planned for Oct 7. [ 3 ]