Today, we got to tour the facilities at Hyundai. We started the journey in their museum, where we learned about the company’s history and its future aspirations. It was interesting to see how Hyundai has grown over time, from its earlier models to the more advanced cars they are producing today. We saw both old and new cars that symbolized how far Hyundai has come, especially in terms of renewable energy and cleaner transportation.

One of the coolest parts was seeing how much effort Hyundai is putting into the future of mobility. The museum did not just focus on cars from the past, but also showed how the company is trying to innovate with electric vehicles, hydrogen-powered cars, and other new technologies. It made the tour feel like more than just a look at a car company because it showed how Hyundai is trying to be part of the future of transportation and sustainability. I also learned that most of Hyundai’s production actually happens right there. They produce both Hyundai models and Genesis models, which is their luxury brand that has become more prevalent in recent years. This was interesting because it showed how large and important this facility is, not just for Hyundai’s regular vehicles, but also for their higher-end brand.

From there, we went to tour Hyundai’s assembly line to see the cars actually being produced. Specifically, we saw sedans like the Avante and the Sonata being made. Unfortunately, companies like to keep their work top secret, so we were not allowed to take pictures. We got to see their exact process and how efficient the workers need to be in order to keep up with Hyundai’s high-volume output. One thing they do that I had not seen before was use a cart that rolls alongside each car on the assembly line. The cart holds all of the car’s non-major parts, pretty much everything except the engine, transmission, and other large components. I thought this was really interesting because it showed how organized and precise the assembly process has to be. Every part needs to be in the right place at the right time so the workers can keep the line moving smoothly.

After we were done inside the factory, we took our bus to Hyundai’s dedicated dock for exporting cars. Again, we were not allowed to take pictures. What we did get to see were three large ships constantly being loaded with cars that were going to completely different parts of the world. What was kind of humorous to me, and the rest of the group, was how fast and almost recklessly the cars were being driven from the factory to the port. It was surprising to see because everything inside the factory seemed so organized and precise, but outside, the process of moving the cars to the ships looked much more chaotic and fast-paced.