Hyundai CEO Jose Munoz warned that Chinese automakers could significantly impact US market margins if current tariffs and access regulations are not maintained. He noted that Chinese vehicles are priced 30 to 40 percent lower than competitors in Italy, Spain, and France, despite existing EU tariffs. In the first half of the year, Chinese-branded cars accounted for over 9 percent of EU sales and 15 percent of new registrations in the UK.
Munoz suggested that Washington should impose specific conditions on Chinese market entry to mitigate economic impact. Ford CEO Jim Farley previously estimated that Chinese brands could enter the US market within five to 10 years. Meanwhile, Hyundai is expanding its North American production capacity, aiming to add 500 000 units by 2030 and increase domestic parts sourcing from 60 percent to over 80 percent.
In addition to market strategy, Hyundai has delayed the launch of its Level 2++ driver-assistance system. Originally planned for late 2027, the release is now pushed to late 2029. The company stated that the two-year delay is necessary for further data collection and safety validation of the software, which is intended to compete with Tesla's Full Self-Driving technology.
