▶ Secures a Korean national project to develop a virtual simulation platform for end-to-end engineering, from equipment design and AI-driven unmanned technology development to validation
▶ Leverages real-world field data and testing experience to improve the viability of commercialization
HD Hyundai XiteSolution is set to further advance its autonomous excavator technologies by spearheading the development of a virtual simulation platform.
On Friday the 23rd, HD Hyundai XiteSolution announced its selection by Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources as the lead project operator for a national R&D project titled, "Development of a High-Precision, Simulation-Based Digital Twin Platform for AI-Powered Autonomous Excavators."
With a total budget of KRW 6.33 billion, the project is scheduled to run through December 2029. HD Hyundai XiteSolution will lead a consortium comprising SimG Co., Ltd., the Korea Construction Equipment Technology Institute (KOCETI), the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH), and the Korea Construction Equipment Manufacturers Association (KOCEMA).
The project focuses on replicating complex physical dynamics in a virtual environment, including mechanical operations (hydraulics, multi-body dynamics, and powertrains) and soil physics (machine-soil interactions). Through this simulation-driven digital twin platform, the consortium aims to establish a seamless virtual pipeline for core machinery—including excavators, wheel loaders, and articulated dump trucks (ADTs)—covering everything from initial product design and AI model training to comprehensive virtual field testing.
Developing autonomous construction equipment has been slow due to hardware limitations, unpredictable site conditions, and safety risks, which have complicated the quick testing and development of these systems across diverse real-world work sites.
This national project is set to change that. By pre-validating autonomous technologies in a virtual environment and benchmarking the results against real equipment data, the project will significantly accelerate the advancement of AI capabilities.
HD Hyundai XiteSolution will spearhead this initiative by establishing standard specifications for virtual simulation component databases, while also overseeing on-site validation and operational scenario testing. By anchoring the project with its extensive field data and real-world experience, the company aims to maximize commercial viability. This effort will also accelerate the company's AI and digital transformation strategy, directly addressing critical global construction trends such as skilled labor shortages and increased safety standards.
"We are proud to play a vital role in this core project, which is set to spearhead AI-driven automation across the construction equipment industry," said Kwak Sung-kyu, Vice President of Virtual Technology at HD Hyundai XiteSolution. "By leveraging our field-proven expertise, we will actively drive the commercialization of unmanned autonomous technology, ultimately elevating both safety and productivity at tomorrow's construction sites."