"Falling Behind in Global Competition"... Government Launches Initiative to Foster Delivery Robots

Mandatory Accompaniment of Delivery Robot Field Operators to Be Eased as Early as April
Yoon Seong-wook, 2nd Deputy Prime Minister, "Actively Promoting Easing Within the First Half of This Year"
Road Traffic Act to Be Amended by Next Year to Allow Sidewalk Driving

The outdoor autonomous delivery robot 'Dilly Drive' developed by Woowa Brothers.
[Photo by Woowa Brothers]

[Asia Economy Sejong=Reporter Lee Jun-hyung] The government is accelerating the deregulation of delivery robots due to concerns that the "spider web regulations" could weaken the global competitiveness of domestic companies.

According to the industry and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on the 30th, the regulation requiring on-site personnel to accompany delivery robots during external operation is expected to be eased as early as April this year. This is influenced by the expanded definition of pedestrians in the Road Traffic Act amendment, which will take effect on the 20th of the same month. The government is considering establishing a regulatory exemption based on this amendment to eliminate the obligation for on-site personnel to accompany delivery robots.

The target is delivery robots temporarily permitted to operate through the regulatory sandbox. To operate delivery robot services domestically, approval through the regulatory sandbox exemption, which grants temporary exemption or deferral of regulations for a certain period, is required. However, under current regulations, even after passing through the regulatory sandbox, a person must accompany the delivery robot during external operation. This is because safety personnel are needed to control the delivery robot in emergencies. Some robot companies have faced obstacles in business expansion due to labor costs for on-site personnel.

There is already a consensus among related ministries, including the National Police Agency, that regulations regarding on-site personnel should be eased. Officials from the National Police Agency are reported to have recently observed delivery robot demonstration sites and discussed ways to relax the obligation for on-site personnel to accompany the robots.

The government’s will is strong. On the 26th, Yoon Sung-wook, the Second Vice Minister of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, stated at a meeting with the delivery robot industry, “Considering the results of previous demonstrations, we will actively promote the easing of additional conditions such as on-site personnel accompaniment within the first half of this year.”

Delivery robot startup Newbility's delivery robot 'Newbee' and on-site staff.
[Photo by Joonhyung Lee]

The timing for allowing delivery robots to operate on sidewalks has also been moved up by two years. Currently, delivery robots are classified as "vehicles" under the Road Traffic Act and are not allowed to operate on sidewalks or crosswalks. The government had planned to amend the Road Traffic Act by 2025 to permit delivery robots to travel on sidewalks and crosswalks. However, due to criticism that the pace of legal revisions is slower compared to advanced countries, the government decided to complete the amendment by next year. Additionally, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy plans to revise the Intelligent Robots Act within this year to clearly define the legal status of delivery robots and establish a management system including safety certification.

The background for the government’s acceleration of delivery robot deregulation lies in concerns about the global competitiveness of domestic companies. While domestic companies struggle with regulations, overseas companies are rapidly accumulating autonomous driving know-how and big data. The UK delivery robot startup Starship Technologies operates over 1,000 delivery robots and surpassed 2 million deliveries last October.

Advanced countries such as the United States are already actively easing delivery robot regulations. According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the US enacted the Personal Delivery Device Act (PDDA) in 2016 and currently allows delivery robot services in 20 states. Japan also plans to amend related laws, including the Road Traffic Act, within this year to foster the delivery robot industry.

Meanwhile, the delivery robot industry has entered a full growth trajectory due to COVID-19. The demand for contactless services surged, greatly expanding the food delivery market, and delivery robots are seen as a solution to reduce delivery fees. According to market research firms such as Markets and Markets, the global delivery robot market is expected to grow from approximately 251.7 billion KRW last year to 1.136 trillion KRW by 2026, with an average annual growth rate of 35.1%.

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