No Accelerator Pedal or Steering Wheel... Autonomous Driving Technology Gains Momentum

[Post-Corona Global Corporate Survival Strategy②]
Honda to Launch 'Traffic Jam Pilot' in March
Tesla Declares Completion of 'Level 5' Within the Year

Nuro's unmanned autonomous vehicle 'R2'

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ji-hee] In April last year, a vehicle loaded with medical supplies appeared at the professional basketball arena, Sleep Train Arena, in Sacramento, California. This vehicle, named 'R2', has no accelerator pedal or steering wheel. It is a fully unmanned autonomous vehicle developed by the American robot autonomous driving startup Nuro. The R2 has been traveling daily to this arena, which was temporarily converted into a COVID-19 ward, delivering groceries and medicines to medical staff. In a few months, you will be able to see Nuro's R2 running on public roads in California. This is because the California state government granted permission for Nuro's autonomous vehicles to operate commercially with paid services at the end of last month. This marks the first time in the United States that fully unmanned autonomous vehicles can be commercially operated.

The COVID-19 pandemic is accelerating the autonomous driving era. As untact (contactless) activities have become a daily routine due to concerns about infection spread, demand for autonomous driving technology that can minimize unnecessary human contact has exploded. According to the '2020 KPMG AVRI (Autonomous Vehicle Readiness Index)' released by global accounting and consulting firm KPMG in July last year, among the 25 countries surveyed in 2019, 17 countries showed an increase in AVRI scores compared to the previous year, indicating that many countries are hastening the adoption of autonomous vehicles. It is analyzed that the role of autonomous vehicles as a means of transporting personnel and goods will increase due to the COVID-19 situation. Notably, this pandemic has shifted the focus of unmanned autonomous vehicle development, considered the ultimate destination of future mobility, from passenger transport to delivery.

Currently commercialized autonomous driving technology is evaluated at Level 2 to 2.5 according to the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) standards in the U.S. However, since automakers are planning to release mass-produced vehicles equipped with Level 3 autonomous driving technology, this year is expected to be a year when the autonomous driving era can be felt more tangibly. From Level 3, vehicles can drive autonomously without the driver holding the steering wheel.

Honda will be the first to commercially release a Level 3 technology package called 'Traffic Jam Pilot' on its 'Legend' vehicle in March. Tesla, leading the autonomous driving industry, recently introduced a Level 3-level Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature and declared it will complete Level 5 technology within the year. Mercedes-Benz also plans to equip its new S-Class model next year with Level 3 technology. In South Korea, Hyundai Motor Company is expected to apply Level 3 autonomous driving technology to the new Genesis G90, scheduled for release around 2022.

Professor Lee Ho-geun of the Department of Automotive Engineering at Daeduk University said, "The COVID-19 situation has expanded demand for autonomous vehicles, especially among those who find self-driving difficult, and mobility companies have begun accelerating related development and commercialization accordingly. In terms of freight delivery, increased experience with contactless methods has created conditions to quickly introduce unmanned vehicles not only in intermediate logistics stages but also in unloading stages in the future."

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