Hyundai announced an investment in startup Perceptive Automata for the development of artificial intelligence and automated system technology for autonomous vehicles.

The technology helps autonomous vehicles understand the state-of-mind of people, including pedestrians, cyclists and other motorists. The predictive software has humanlike intuition which enables automated vehicles to make rapid assessments about people’s intentions.

Vehicle sensor data is used by the software to allow autonomous vehicles to interpret and anticipate human behaviour. The technology is particularly useful in situations where pedestrians are getting ready to cross roadways, but end up changing their minds upon noticing an approaching vehicle. Without the predicative software, autonomous vehicles stop and wait, even when pedestrians decide not to cross. The software allows vehicles to read pedestrian behaviour and intentions and react accordingly.

Hyundai has increased its investments in the field of artificial intelligence over the past year as well as in other technologies that have the potential to improve the performance of its autonomous vehicles.