Seoul, Feb 21 (IANS): Hyundai Motor, South Korea's biggest car manufacturer, launched new research centres to develop core technologies, the company announced on Tuesday.

Hyundai said it established the Strategic Technology Research Institute, an integrated research centre to develop robotics, artificial intelligence, new materials, and information and communications technology, Xinhua news agency reported.

Based on the newly developed technologies, Hyundai planned to create new business models in a bid to become a market shaper rather than remain a follower.

The South Korean company also announced last week that it launched a new research centre to focus on driverless car technology, named Intelligent Safety Technology Centre.

The self-driving cars have increasingly been in the limelight as the cars, which can drive without human input, can become a key market for the global auto industry.

According to market researcher Juniper Research, around 22 million driverless cars are forecast to be sold around the world by 2025.

Hyundai integrated personnel and divisions to build the autonomous driving research institute to achieve its goal of developing cars that can technically delete a steering wheel from the cabin in the end.