Recently, as the use of motors increases in electric and hybrid vehicle systems, motor control technology is receiving attention as a key technology for maximizing vehicle efficiency and safety. Among these, 'smart actuators' are receiving attention as a key motor control technology for electric vehicles.

Hyundai Motor Group recently held the Hyundai Motor Group Next-Gen. Hybrid System Tech Day. We held the Hybrid System Tech Day and unveiled our advanced hybrid technology.

The next-generation hybrid system, which is playing a key role in the electrification transition, features two motors built into the new transmission and applies various electrification-specific technologies to improve driving performance and ride quality and enhance the in-vehicle experience.


The P1 new motor performs starting and generating, and driving force assistance functions, while the P2 drive motor is responsible for driving and regenerative braking.

In particular, the time required to start the engine has been shortened and fuel consumption has been reduced through the P1 motor directly connected to the engine, and the efficiency of 'load leveling' has been improved, allowing the engine to operate in a high-efficiency range by precisely controlling the engine load and the driving force of the P1 and P2 motors.

In this way, precise control of the motor has become extremely important in modern hybrid systems and electric vehicles.

Meanwhile, smart actuators are emerging with the latest motor control technology.

The recent eBook published by Mouser titled '11 Experts Discuss Advanced Motor Control for Modern Electric Vehicles' presents the direction of the latest motor control technology, and at the center of it is 'smart actuators'.

A smart actuator is not a simple mechanical actuator, but a device that consists of a sensor, a controller (MCU), and an actuator as an integrated system. />
This system is structured so that when sensors collect various physical and electrical data inside the vehicle in real time, a microcontroller (MCU) precisely processes the data through high-frequency sampling, and transmits a control signal accordingly to the actuator to perform an operation.

This integrated design allows for improved vehicle dynamic control, improved ride comfort, energy efficiency and safety all at the same time.

The key to smart actuators is a real-time feedback loop.

The sensor quickly measures important variables such as current, speed, and voltage and transmits them to the MCU, and the MCU uses a high sampling frequency to immediately detect even the slightest changes.

This real-time data processing enables rapid response to changes in vehicle load or external environment, optimizing motor performance and ensuring stable operation even in unexpected situations.

Experts emphasize that the Model-Based Design approach is important when designing smart actuators.

Engineers first test control algorithms in a virtual environment, using tools such as MATLAB and Simulink.

The MIL (Model-In-the-Loop) phase verifies the basic operation of the algorithm, and the SIL (Software-In-the-Loop) phase verifies whether the algorithm produces the same performance when converted to actual code.

Ultimately, the goal is to verify operation on actual hardware through HIL (Hardware-In-the-Loop) testing, identify and correct problems in advance, and build a stable system.

These design and test steps also play a big role in striking a balance between power consumption and precision control.

Precise control High sampling and fast switching speeds are required for this, but this can cause power consumption issues.

Conventional switching devices such as MOSFETs operate efficiently within a certain frequency range, but when that limit is exceeded, efficiency degradation and overheating problems can occur.

To solve these problems, there is a recent trend to apply advanced semiconductor materials such as gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC) to smart actuators.

These materials provide high switching speeds and efficiencies, enabling more precise and efficient control.

Smart actuators play a crucial role in improving vehicle dynamic control and ride comfort.

Through close feedback between the sensor and the MCU, voltage or torque can be adjusted instantly according to changes in the vehicle's load, contributing to smooth driving and improved energy efficiency.

Additionally, advanced control algorithms and precise data processing enable rapid control in emergency situations, and this is closely linked to the vehicle's safety system.

These smart actuators are optimized through various testing and verification stages, and are thus positioned as reliable core technologies in the actual automobile development and mass production process.