Hyundai's smallest car ever wins big at Red Dot Awards

Hyundai Motor Company won 17 design titles at the 2021 Red Dot Award, including the ‘Best of Best’ title in the Film and Animation category for its smallest electric car ever - the Hyundai IONIQ 5 Minicar. The six-minute-long campaign video of the mini vehicle showcases how the Hyundai minicar supports young patients at the SJD Barcelona Children’s Hospital in Spain.The minicar under Hyundai's ‘Little Big e-Motion’ project uses Emotion Adaptive Vehicle Control (EAVC) technology to help young patients go from hospital bed to treatment room. Based on the Hyundai ‘45’ concept car, the one-of-a-kind mini EV also won a silver award from 2021 New York Festival Advertising Award for its campaign video (that can be seen below).(Also read | Hyundai i20 N Line breaks cover; six colours, sportier steering and suspension)

The campaign video shows how the Hyundai minicar uses its EAVC technology to read the facial expressions and other body vitals such as heart rate and respiratory rate of a child patient who is being driven in it to the treatment room. The IONIQ 5 Minicar then uses these reading from inputs from the vehicle such as its speed, acceleration, noise and vibration.

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The technology then processes the combined data utilizing machine learning to optimize the vehicle environment and controls vehicle systems such as lighting, climate, music and fragrance dispenser accordingly. The anxious child is then treated with music, breathing exercises and soap bubbles to make her journey to the treatment room less stressful. The vehicle's display shows cartoon videos explaining the kid how the treatment will make her powerful. By the end of the journey, the child is better prepared to undertake the treatment.

The minicar's Facial Emotion Recognition System uses a camera in front of the seat to identify the child’s emotions in real-time and the vehicle interacts with the patient accordingly.

Apart from Hyundai's Little Big e-Motion campaign for the IONIQ 5 Minicar, the carmaker also won accolades for the EV Infotainment System design on the IONIQ 5 electric car.