Immersion in the future marks visit to Hyundai

Sustainable cars with various technological features, electric aircraft, the relentless pursuit of transport safety and concern for global warming. These were some of the points that participants of the International Porto & Mar Mission Brazil - South Korea 2024 saw during the technical visit they made at the Hyundai Motor Studio in Seoul, the capital of the country.

The space offers an experience provided by the Korean automaker. The venue resembles a gallery where state-of-the-art cars are displayed, capturing attention with LED panels, cameras reproducing the image from where the side mirror used to be and other features that enhance safety for drivers and passengers.

The Studio has an area dedicated to discussing, in a didactic manner, the impacts of global warming. An interactive table displays images of pollution evolution in the planet and how humanity can work to reverse the situation. This is where investments in technology and innovation come into play.

Hydrogen

Hyundai Motor's vice-president, Ricardo Martins, mentioned that with four kilograms of hydrogen it's possible to travel 800 kilometers at a cost of R\$ 16.00 (value is tax-free). For this, two cylinders the size of natural gas cylinders would be required. Martins explained that extracting hydrogen from ethanol is a straightforward process. However, he noted that the challenge the company and its partners are trying to achieve in Brazil is to have the car converting ethanol in the tank into hydrogen. For this, the automaker would need to develop an internal reformer to transform fuels.

In the company since 2011, Martins is familiar with South Korean culture. "The reason for investing in automation and robotization is to avoid production waste. You can use less energy and less material", he explained.

- Veja vídeo (1.423344) ESG

Wilson Lima Filho, director of the National Agency for Waterway Transportation (Antaq), noted the company's strong focus on ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) principles. "It's interesting to see their concern with energy transition and the environment. Although they are not directly involved in maritime activities, we can identify many interesting aspects that we can transfer to the maritime world, such as innovation and research", he justified.

Elias Júnior, secretary of Port Affairs and Employment of Santos, emphasized that robotization does not eliminate jobs, contrary to common belief. "It also brings about a number of jobs generated for the implementation of this robotization, including programmers and those involved in maintaining all the technology implemented in the port environment, thereby creating new opportunities", he argued.

(Rodrigo Nardelli/TV Tribuna)

South Korea has one thousand robots for every ten thousand workers

Data from the World Robotics 2022 report shows that in South Korea, there are one thousand robots for every ten thousand workers. Singapore follows in second place with 670, and Japan in third with 399.

It's common for Hyundai to send employees from Brazil for training in Korea. Ricardo Martins, the company's vice-president responsible for the factory in Piracicaba, São Paulo, mentioned that investments in technology and innovation allow for higher wages compared to major competitors.

Increased robotization also enables greater efficiency. The logic is simple: everything the robot does is stored in a database. Artificial intelligence analyzes the data and identifies any deviations or pattern changes. In manual work, there's a higher chance of errors and accidents. Consequently, jobs in areas that become robotized transition to data analysis and developing solutions for new challenges.

"Robotization, a major example shown here, also creates a number of jobs for its implementation. Therefore, programming all this technology implemented in the port environment also brings job opportunities for everyone", said Elias Júnior, secretary of Port Affairs and Employment of Santos, who is one of the participants in the International Porto & Mar Mission Brazil - South Korea 2024.

(Rodrigo Nardelli/TV Tribuna)

Flavio da Rocha Costa, logistics director of Eldorado Brasil, was impressed with the amount of technology in South Korea. "The way the automotive industry is looking towards the future, seeking solutions to reduce emissions of polluting gases, ships could do the same".

The visited space also showcases robots in action in vehicle assembly. There's also a simulator of an aircraft that could potentially replace helicopters, reducing pollutant emissions.

Awareness was also raised in an immersive room. On the walls, projections showed the power of water (rain, rivers and sea). In the center, several cylinders "sprouted" from the ground. They rose and fell, demonstrating everything from a passing car to the forces of nature in action.

For the guided tour, members of the delegation were provided with wireless headphones. The guide had a microphone to reduce noise during visits. Workers used modern tools to develop solutions and make everything seen at the Studio possible.