Mocon Unifies Actuators and Controllers, from Hyundai and LG Projects to an AI All-in-One System

Inside Mocon's Strategy: Integrating Actuators and Controllers to Cut Cost, Time, and Risk

Mocon wants to become a global actuator and controller solutions company-and they're building the stack to do it. The company designs and manufactures both the motion hardware (actuators) and the control logic (controllers) for mobility and adjacent industries. For product teams, this "own both ends" model reduces interface friction, shortens development cycles, and lowers integration defects.

Founder profile: 11 years of mechatronics pain solved by vertical integration

CEO Chae Sang-min founded Mocon in November 2022 after 11 years in automotive mechatronics at Iljin (Korea) and Stabilus (Germany). She saw recurring delays and cost overruns caused by split ownership-one vendor for actuators, another for controllers, and a lot of finger-pointing in between.

Her response: build a company that ships both. One spec, one test plan, one accountable team. The goal is simple-move fast without burning budget.

Why integrating actuator + controller matters for product development

• Single interface contract: Fewer mismatched assumptions across ECUs, wiring, and mechanical constraints.
• Fewer change orders: Requirements churn doesn't cascade across multiple suppliers.
• Faster validation: Co-simulate motion, load, and control logic before tooling and DV/PV.
• Lower unit cost: Shared design envelope, consolidated electronics, fewer brackets and harness variants.

Deployed programs and proofs

Mocon co-developed an automatic side step system with Hyundai for the Genesis Neuron Project. The step deploys, retracts, and folds based on context, and was shown on the GV90 SUV at the 2024 New York Auto Show. For PD teams, that signals production-grade durability, control tuning, and fault handling-beyond a lab demo.

At CES, Mocon exhibited a pop-up mechanism co-developed with LG Electronics for Hyundai's PBV ST1, enabling appliances like TVs and coffee machines to open automatically from integrated modules. The brief: reliable motion, compact packaging, and quiet operation in a shared cabin environment.

With welfare vehicle maker Changrim Moatz, Mocon built an electric wheelchair lift vehicle. In legacy builds, users manually opened and closed the trunk; here, the lift lowers automatically to simplify loading. This is a clear example of user-centric motion control translating into measurable accessibility impact.

AI all-in-one actuator system: from spec to simulated product

Mocon is developing an AI-driven system that simulates and proposes actuator-controller configurations based on client requirements. The MVP is complete, with a beta planned next year. Expect faster concept validation, early feasibility checks, and BOM-level recommendations that account for loads, duty cycles, packaging constraints, and safety logic.

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Markets and roadmap

Starting with mobility, Mocon plans to expand into robotics, healthcare, aerospace, and smart home. Discussions are underway with a U.S. manufacturer of vehicles for people with disabilities, with Europe (including Germany) next on the list.

The company's advantage-owning motion hardware plus control software-translates across sectors where reliability, safety, and packaging constraints are non-negotiable.

What product leaders can apply now

• Define a single owner for actuator-controller interfaces. If suppliers are split, enforce a shared acceptance test suite.
• Model loads, speeds, noise targets, and thermal limits early. Freeze these before committing to enclosure and mounting points.
• Co-develop DFMEA across mechanical, electrical, and software. Include edge cases: power loss, obstruction, misalignment, and environmental ingress.
• Use hardware-in-the-loop test rigs to validate control logic against real loads before DV/PV.
• Design for serviceability: quick-swap actuators, standardized connectors, and firmware update paths.
• Track cost drivers: motor class, gear train, sensors, EMC shielding, and bracket complexity. Tie each to a requirement you can defend.

New York International Auto Show visibility and CES demos show that actuator-controller co-design is moving from pitch decks to programs in the field. If your team owns motion, owning control logic-or partnering with a team that does-will likely be the fastest way to reduce rework and ship with confidence.

Bottom line

Mocon's bet is straightforward: fewer boundaries, fewer problems. Integrate motion and control, validate early with simulation, and take products to market with one accountable owner. For product development leaders, that's a playbook worth copying.