Hyundai Motor Group promoted Manfred Harrer, a former Porsche and BMW engineer, to president and head of research and development as South Korea’s largest automaker reshuffles its leadership ranks following setbacks in autonomous driving technology.
Harrer becomes the fifth foreign national to hold a president-level position at Hyundai, joining CEO José Muñoz, who was appointed last year as the company’s first non-Korean chief executive. The 52-year-old German executive joined Hyundai in May 2024 after stints at Porsche, where he oversaw development of the Cayenne SUV and the electric Taycan, as well as BMW, Audi, and Apple’s abandoned car project.
The promotion follows the early December resignation of Song Chang-hyeon, who led Hyundai’s Advanced Vehicle Platform division and software subsidiary 42dot. Song departed after the company failed to match competitors in self-driving capabilities despite acquiring his startup for ₩427.6 billion ($317.7 million) in 2022.
Hyundai has lagged behind Tesla, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW in deploying advanced autonomous features, with its Level 3 highway driving technology facing repeated delays. Tesla recently launched its Full Self-Driving service in South Korea, intensifying pressure on domestic rivals.
The dual leadership change reflects Executive Chair Chung Euisun’s broader effort to accelerate Hyundai’s shift toward software-defined vehicles while globalizing the company’s traditionally Korea-centric management structure.
