Hyundai Motor and Waymo have entered into a long-term strategic partnership, which will see the self-driving technology company incorporate Hyundai's Ioniq 5 electric vehicle into its robotaxi fleet.

On Friday, the companies announced that Waymo's sixth-generation autonomous technology, referred to as the Waymo Driver, will be integrated in substantial quantities over several years to bolster the Alphabet-backed company's expanding robotaxi operations.

This announcement follows nearly two months after Waymo disclosed information about its latest "generation 6" self-driving technology, which will also be integrated into Geely Zeekr electric vehicles. This new technology is designed to perform effectively in a broader range of weather conditions while minimizing the need for expensive cameras and sensors.

Currently, Waymo operates approximately 700 vehicles in its fleet and runs the only commercial robotaxi service in the United States, known as Waymo One, which facilitates over 100,000 paid rides weekly.

The Ioniq 5 electric vehicles will be manufactured at Hyundai's forthcoming "Metaplant America" in Georgia and will be outfitted with Waymo's autonomous driving technologies. These vehicles will arrive at Waymo with specific modifications for autonomy, including redundant hardware and powered doors.

Testing of the Waymo-equipped Ioniq 5s on public roads is set to commence by late 2025, with plans for them to be available to Waymo One riders in subsequent years.

While the financial details of the partnership remain undisclosed, it has been confirmed that Waymo will purchase and own the vehicles.

Waymo has previously collaborated with other automotive manufacturers, including Chrysler and Jaguar, to develop and integrate its technologies into their vehicles.

According to José Muñoz, Hyundai's chief operating officer and CEO of Hyundai Motor North America, the integration of Waymo's technology into the Ioniq 5 marks the initial phase of a partnership that has the potential for future expansion.

The team at our newly established manufacturing facility is prepared to supply a substantial quantity of vehicles for the Waymo One fleet as it undergoes further expansion, Muñoz stated. "This marks a crucial initial phase in the collaboration between our two companies, and we are currently investigating further avenues for partnership."

The Ioniq 5 is already in use by the autonomous vehicle startup Motional, which is a joint venture formed by Hyundai and auto supplier Aptiv. Hyundai clarified that the Waymo partnership "does not affect" Motional.