Australia, Taiwan, and the Middle East call for 'Kakao T'... US entry also becoming visible within the year

Use of Local Transportation in 37 Countries with 'Kakao T'

Kakao Mobility will launch its ‘Kakao T Overseas Vehicle Call’ service in new continents including Australia, Taiwan, and the Middle East starting from the 30th of this month. The company plans to expand to the United States next month.

‘Overseas Vehicle Call’ is a service that allows users to hail various local transportation options through the Kakao T app while abroad. Currently operating in Japan, Southeast Asia, and Europe, the service coverage will expand to a total of 37 countries worldwide, including the United States, by the end of this year once the new countries are added.

From the 30th, five countries will be added to the ‘Kakao T Overseas Vehicle Call’ service: ▲Australia ▲Taiwan ▲United Arab Emirates ▲Jordan ▲Kuwait. The service will integrate with major local mobility providers such as Silver Top (Australia), Yoxi (Taiwan), and Careem (Middle East), supporting local vehicle calls including taxis, premium sedans, and mid-to-large SUVs. This expansion significantly broadens the service area from the existing Eurasia and Southeast Asia regions to Oceania and the Middle East, enhancing convenience for users traveling abroad.

Kakao T users can access the service by moving to the travel tab within the Kakao T app while overseas, selecting the ‘Overseas Vehicle Call’ icon, entering their departure and destination points in Korean, and then choosing their preferred mode of transportation to hail a vehicle. Service fees vary depending on the fare and service environment of each country.

Additionally, as announced at the technology conference ‘NEMO 2023’ held last September, Kakao Mobility will start its service in the United States within this year through collaboration with ‘Lyft,’ a partner of the global mobility brokerage platform ‘Split.’ Based on this, the company aims to actively target the U.S., the world’s largest mobility market, and strengthen its global capabilities.

Ryu Geung-seon, CEO of Kakao Mobility, stated, “Through the expansion of the ‘Kakao T Overseas Vehicle Call’ service, we can support seamless mobility for users across various countries. Moreover, we will not only expand the overseas vehicle call service but also create and enhance various global expansion cases to evolve from a leading domestic platform into a true global mobility service.”

Meanwhile, Kakao Mobility, which first introduced the ‘Kakao T Overseas Vehicle Call’ service in Japan in 2018, plans to expand its service area to a total of 37 countries within this year. It is also pioneering direct overseas expansion by establishing local vehicle call infrastructure, such as with Guam taxis, marking a first among domestic mobility companies. Recently, the company has also started an overseas app linkage service that allows foreign tourists visiting Korea to use Kakao T taxi services through their home country’s apps, continuously expanding its presence as a global platform.

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