Cars.co.za report offers interesting insights
Cars.co.za recently launched Industry Report 2026 at its DealerCon summit, offers insight into the forces shaping South Africa’s vehicle market.
- Dealer News
- 22 September 2026
Hyundai Motor is set to play its most extensive role yet at the FIFA World Cup 2026, supplying its largest tournament fleet to date while also introducing robotics technology to the event for the first time.
The company has confirmed that it will provide 994 passenger vehicles and 506 buses for the competition, underlining the scale of its involvement as the tournament prepares to span 16 host cities across the United States (US), Canada and Mexico. The fleet will be used to move national teams, officials, media representatives and operational staff throughout the event.
The announcement builds on Hyundai’s long-standing relationship with FIFA, which has now reached 27 years. While the company has long been associated with tournament transport, the 2026 edition marks a broader expansion of its role.
For the first time, Hyundai will also bring its robotics capability to the World Cup as part of its position as FIFA’s Official Robotics Partner. Four customised Boston Dynamics Spot robots are expected to be deployed to assist with patrol and monitoring tasks at selected venues, including the International Broadcast Centre in Dallas and the stadium in New York and New Jersey in the US.
According to Hyundai, the robots are intended to support safety and operational efficiency in busy event environments, highlighting the company’s effort to combine traditional mobility services with newer smart technologies.
The vehicle line-up for the tournament will include models such as the Palisade, Santa Fe, Tucson, Santa Cruz, Kona, Sonata, Elantra, Creta, Creta Grand and Genesis GV80, with hybrid versions available for some of them.
Hyundai says the dual deployment of vehicles and robotics reflects its broader ambition to present itself not only as a carmaker but as a wider mobility and technology company. With the 2026 World Cup set to be the largest in FIFA’s history, the event offers Hyundai a major platform to showcase both the scale of its transport capabilities and its growing interest in robotics.
Cars.co.za recently launched Industry Report 2026 at its DealerCon summit, offers insight into the forces shaping South Africa’s vehicle market.
Nissan has introduced the Tekton, a new compact SUV for the South African market. The model is built on the Renault‑Nissan alliance’s CMF‑B platform and is closely related to the Renault Duster, sharing engines and mechanical components.
At the recent DealerCon 2026, hosted by Cars.co.za automotive excellence was celebrated by honouring top executives in the automotive retails industry.
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