Fountain Valley middle school students learn the auto business at Hyundai HQ

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. (KABC) — What middle-schooler doesn’t love a field trip?

This week, a group of students from Fountain Valley didn’t go to a museum or a zoo. They spent the day at the North American headquarters of Hyundai, also in Fountain Valley.

“We’re doing it to inspire students to pursue automotive careers at Hyundai and Genesis,” said Brandon Ramirez, a veteran Hyundai employee who organized the event.

First, there was a deep dive into how vehicles are planned out from Hyundai and Genesis staff.

Then, the students got a chance to build some kind of scale vehicle out of recycled materials, or upcycled as Hyundai calls it. After sketching out an idea, each student got busy with hot glue and vivid imaginations.

“I’m a big believer that students learn best with hands-on activities,” said Amy Peterson, a science teacher at Fulton Middle School who was there with her students. “So getting their creative brains moving and all that is the best way that they learn.”

Then, the whole group went outside to check out an electric Genesis GV60 with a guided tour from product planner Bryson Cain.

First, he demonstrated the vehicle’s remote parking feature.

“It’ll be reversing into the parking spot. If it senses something is behind it, it’ll stop, plus I am holding my finger on the remote,” said Cain while the students looked on as the Genesis moved slowly with no one inside.

Next, Cain showed off the facial recognition feature that lets a driver unlock the door by merely looking at the space between the front and rear doors.

Throughout the day, there was not a single “do not touch” rule.

The 13- and 14-year olds were encouraged to sit in, touch, and get a feel for a modern vehicle that was planned out by hundreds of people.

People whose jobs might inspire this younger generation to make their own someday.