HMG/Hyundai Motor Group Named Automaker of the Year at 2026 AutoTech Awards as Ceremony Unites with Wards 10 Best Awards

2026 AutoTech Awards celebrated companies & technologies driving the connected mobility revolution at gala ceremony themed “Where Innovation Meets Excellence.”

NOVI, MI, UNITED STATES, June 2, 2026 /⁨EINPresswire.com⁩/ – The 2026 AutoTech Awards celebrated the companies and technologies driving the connected mobility revolution at a gala ceremony themed “Where Innovation Meets Excellence.” In a historic first, the AutoTech Awards combined forces with the prestigious Wards 10 Best Awards, bringing together AutoTech, Omdia Automotive, and WardsAuto—all partners within Informa—to establish a new gold standard for recognizing automotive excellence.

Hosted by Edward Wilford, Senior Research Director at Omdia Automotive, the evening honored winners across twelve categories spanning six Company Awards and six Product/Service Awards, recognizing breakthroughs in AI, connectivity, software, safety, and the technologies enabling and monetizing the connected car ecosystem.

HMG/Hyundai Motor Group took home the night’s top honor, Automaker of the Year, presented by John Heinlein, Chief Marketing Officer of Sonatus, the award’s sponsor for the fourth consecutive year. Judges cited HMG’s gold standard of consistent excellence—including an unprecedented three consecutive World Car of the Year wins, a revolutionary dedicated EV platform, ultra-fast 800-volt charging, and a lineup that regularly earns IIHS Top Safety Pick+ awards and design accolades.

Company Award Winners • Automaker of the Year: HMG/Hyundai Motor Group • Tier-1 of the Year: Magna, recognized for complete vehicle integration, modular powertrain coverage from 48V to 800V, and the milestone of 100 million radars shipped • Automaker AI Excellence Award: Mercedes-Benz, honored for industry-first Level 3 autonomy, MB.OS integration, and agentic AI at the edge via its new CLA platform • Automotive-Tech Partnership Award: Parkopedia and Hyundai Autoever • Connectivity Leader Award: Aeris • Software Leader Award: KPIT

Product/Service Award Winners • Semiconductor & Hardware Excellence Award: S32N7 Super-Integration Processor Series for Software-Defined Vehicles (NXP Semiconductors) • In-Vehicle Experience Award: Kardome In-Vehicle Voice AI (Kardome) • ADAS & Safety Technology Award: Skylark™ Precise Positioning Service (Swift Navigation) • Cloud & Data Solutions Award: KPIT Data Platform (KPIT Technologies) • Testing & Validation Excellence Award: Verification and Validation Solutions (Embitel Technologies, a Volkswagen Group Company) • Cybersecurity Excellence Award: vCore (PlaxidityX)

The ceremony also featured the Women Automotive Leader of the Year and People & Culture Excellence Award, presented by Stephanie May of the Women Automotive Network, along with the announcement of the June 2026 scholarship recipients from the Automotive Women’s Alliance Foundation (AWAF).

The awards were made possible by sponsors Zilogic (Supporter Sponsor), Sonatus (Category Sponsor), and Stingray (Supporter Sponsor for the Wards 10 Best Interiors & UX Award).

The celebration precedes the AutoTech 2026 conference and exhibition, taking place June 3–4. Built around the theme “Monetizing the Connected Car,” the event offers expert-led sessions and networking focused on connectivity, software innovation, user experience, and ADAS technologies.

About AutoTech AutoTech is a leading conference and exhibition focused on the technologies enabling and monetizing the connected car, bringing together automakers, suppliers, and innovators shaping the future of mobility.

F Smale INFORMA PLC