Hyundai Motor Company officially announces that Brian Latouf has been appointed to the new role of global chief safety officer. Latouf joined the automotive manufacturer in 2019. He has a background as a crash investigator and vehicle safety engineer with more than 30 years of safety leadership experience under his belt.
In this position, Latouf is responsible for integrating Hyundai’s engineering resources with Hyundai Motor North America (HMNA)’s, combining safety field investigations, data analysis and safety engineering performance into one streamlined global technical function. He also heads up vehicle safety performance within Hyundai’s wider research and development function. Hyundai Motor Group’s newly formed Integrated Safety and Environment Quality Center, which is part of the R&D division, has a dotted line reporting structure into Latouf for all strategic safety items and strategies. He remains based at HMNA’s headquarters in California and continues in his role as HMNA chief safety officer with full safety recall authority and responsibility.
Latouf reports to José Muñoz, president and chief operating officer (COO) of Hyundai Motor Company, and president and CEO of HMNA. Muñoz will also serve as the accountable executive for Hyundai’s safety matters in his COO role.
“Brian is a proven global safety leader who has created a world-class safety office in North America enabling quick identification of motor vehicle safety issues and effective implementation of remedies to help keep our customers safe,” commented Muñoz. “His decades of safety engineering experience and leadership will take the company even further by integrating the vast resources of Hyundai to help keep customers safe worldwide.”
The announcement follows the groundbreaking ceremony for HMNA’s first US Safety Test and Investigation Laboratory in Superior Township, Michigan, which focuses on field safety by identifying emerging issues and providing resolutions for customers. Employing over 160 personnel, it will have a vehicle dynamics test area and an EV testing and electronics lab.
