[Narrator] Self driving cars are usually

high-end, expensive machines.

You could drop 100 grand on a Tesla,

or try to get a ride in a self driving Uber.

But their cars, and the likes of Google's,

are so laden with the very latest tech,

that they're way out of reach for personal ownership.

One spinning LiDAR sensor can cost

tens of thouusands of dollars alone.

Hyundai wants to change that.

The Korean car maker is joining the ever-growing

field of autonomous wanna-be's,

and it's testing its creations in Las Vegas.

Nevada is the state of choice for many automakers

to test their driverless machines.

Here is the coveted red autonomous vehicle plate.

So this car is legal to drive itself here,

with certain restrictions.

It's paired this time though, with a Hyundai badge.

The automaker is here trying to prove it's serious

about bringing driverless cars to the masses.

[Narrator] Hyundai is building self-driving prototypes

on its Ioniq platform, which comes as a regular hybrid,

a plug-in hybrid, or a pure electric.

And it says the idea is to make a self driving car

at a price point attainable by an average buyer,

not just throw tech at a project,

and then try to cut costs afterwards.

Key to its approach is detailed mapping,

but it also uses three cheaper LiDAR laser units

integrated into the front bumper,

as well as four cameras and three radars.

It worked well enough on a pre-planned course in Las Vegas,

if a little hesitantly.

And the various sensors all around us

are checking around the vehicle, presumably,

before we make a turn like that

to make sure there wasn't a cycle alongside us.

[Narrator] Hyundai is working to reduce

the computing power needed to the bare minimum,

as that saves both cost and energy consumption.

It will show off this car at CES,

the Consumer Electronics Show,

but it will be sharing the road

with tons of other prototypes.

It's a key time for manufacturers

to demonstrate their abilities

as car makers, ride sharers, and technology companies

all work hard to propel us towards a self driving future.