Husband Uses T-map, Wife Uses KakaoMap... 'Navigation' War on the Way Home

AI-Enhanced Navigation
Making Calls, Listening to Music, Checking Weather While Driving
Competition to Expand Cumulative Subscribers and Active Users
Telecom and Mobility Companies Also Planning New Businesses Based on Big Data

[Asia Economy Reporters Kim Heung-soon and Bu Aeri] Yoon Jung-woo (41), an office worker living in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, plans to drive to his hometown Busan during this year's Lunar New Year holiday. He is a user of SK Telecom's mobile navigation app 'T map.' According to T map's prediction that the highway will be relatively less congested before 5 a.m. on the day before the holiday, the 24th, he plans to depart during this time. On the 21st, Yoon said, "I always use smartphone navigation while driving because it guides me with the estimated time and the fastest route to the destination," adding, "I also plan to run 'Kakao Navi' (Kakao Mobility's mobile navigation) on my wife's phone simultaneously to compare routes."

◆Smarter Navigation with AI= Navigation systems are essential not only for holiday travel but also for those using vehicles for work or outings. Since 2017, artificial intelligence (AI) technology has been integrated into navigation to enhance user convenience. In September of that year, SK Telecom applied its AI service 'NUGU' to T map. Drivers can search for nearby facilities such as gas stations and parking lots, make calls, listen to music, and receive weather updates through voice commands while on the move. According to SK Telecom, the monthly number of users activating NUGU on T map increased nearly threefold from a maximum of 2.3 million in 2017 to 6.7 million last year. Users most frequently used voice recognition services for navigation guidance, making calls, and listening to music through NUGU.

Kakao Navi also applied the AI platform 'Kakao i' starting in October 2018. Drivers can use voice commands to get directions, search for destinations, and make changes, as well as check or send messages via the messenger service KakaoTalk. The navigation system also provides services such as news, lifestyle information, audio content, and real-time trending search terms. KT's 'One Navi,' launched in 2017, also uses AI to provide optimal routes and departure times. Since September last year, One Navi has offered the group driving service 'Gatgijaja.' When family or friends head to the same destination in multiple vehicles, the navigation's 'invite' feature allows users to check where the other vehicles are and whether they are moving according to the route. A KT official said, "There is no need to check current locations via calls or messages, so satisfaction is especially high among elderly users and group travelers."

◆"Navigation Data Is the Future Revenue Source"= Based on cumulative subscribers, the domestic navigation market is dominated by T map and Kakao Navi. T map's subscribers increased from 15.5 million in 2017 to 18 million last year, while Kakao Navi jumped from 11 million to 16 million during the same period. However, the average monthly active users of T map are about 12 million, roughly three times more than Kakao Navi. Market share is also seen as favorable to T map, with 55% compared to Kakao Navi's 20% and One Navi's 10%.

Although the number of navigation subscribers and users is not an immediate source of revenue, service providers focus on customer acquisition. Kakao Navi also partnered with LG Uplus last November, expecting to expand its user base. A Kakao Mobility official explained, "Users mainly use navigation to get to their destinations quickly rather than to find unknown roads. The more users there are, the more data is collected, improving the accuracy of real-time traffic analysis and predictions, so the number of subscribers is important." A telecommunications industry official emphasized, "When autonomous vehicles and flying taxis become commercialized, in-vehicle infotainment that can be enjoyed while traveling without driving will gain attention. Collecting big data through navigation is essential for telecom companies to understand potential customer demands and plan new business areas."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.