Singaporean operator Singtel and Hyundai Motor Company agreed to partner on a range of 5G-enabled smart mobility and manufacturing services to advance the city state’s Smart Nation vision for connected and sustainable mobility services.

In a statement, the companies said they will work to improve the reliability of Hyundai’s electric vehicles (EVs) by gathering improved data-driven insights to more accurately monitor the status and performance of batteries in real time.

The companies will also develop and pilot a 5G-enabled smart factory use case for an innovation centre Hyundai has in the works in Singapore, aiming to combine the automotive company’s manufacturing expertise with Singtel’s 5G, IoT and other technologies to produce Industry 4.0 digital systems.

Hyundai aims to complete work on the 44,000-square-metre innovation centre by end-2022.

Andrew Lim, MD of government and large enterprise at Singtel, said the collaboration is timely given the government aims to phase-out internal combustion-powered vehicles by 2040 and develop policies encouraging drivers to switch to EVs.

“By pushing the boundaries of what is possible with 5G, IoT and other advanced technologies, we also want to build up Singapore’s smart manufacturing and Industry 4.0 capabilities and strengthen its innovation ecosystem.”

Hong Bum Jung, SVP of Hyundai’s innovation centre, said the collaboration would deliver enhanced mobility solutions: “We also hope to explore future innovative solutions and business opportunities with Singtel to help realise Singapore’s Smart Nation vision.”