Tesla and GM's 'Hands-Free' Technology Arrives in Korea... Korea-US FTA Grants 'Free Pass'

Tesla Rolls Out FSD Update
Test Drive Video Released in Downtown Seoul
Cadillac Vehicles with Super Cruise
To Be Delivered at the End of This Month... Third Country in the World to Launch

The "hands-free" driving technology, which allows drivers to take their hands off the steering wheel, is rapidly making its way into Korea. Following the domestic application of Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature, General Motors (GM) is set to launch a new vehicle equipped with "Super Cruise."

Tesla vehicle driving on a road in California, USA, using the Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

According to industry sources on November 26, the Tesla Model S and Model X equipped with fourth-generation hardware (HW4) produced in the United States can now use FSD in Korea. On November 23, Tesla released software including FSD via an over-the-air (OTA) update. The option is priced in the 9 million won range. Korea has become the seventh country in the world, following the United States, Canada, China, Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand, where FSD is available. In addition, the Cadillac Escalade IQ, the first vehicle in Korea to feature Super Cruise, is scheduled to be delivered starting at the end of this month. Super Cruise is being introduced in Korea as the third country in the world, after the United States and China.

Tesla Korea posted a video of an autonomous driving test run filmed in downtown Seoul on the 12th on X (formerly Twitter) with the phrase "Supervised FSD, next destination: Korea (Coming soon)."

Just about ten days before the official launch, on November 12, Tesla posted a video of an autonomous driving test run filmed in downtown Seoul on X (formerly Twitter) with the phrase "Supervised FSD, next destination: Korea (Coming soon)." The video, which attracted significant attention, showed the vehicle driving without driver intervention through a barrier exit near Hangang Park, an underground road, and complex alleyways. GM also made a surprise announcement last month regarding the introduction of Super Cruise.

Industry insiders point to the "regulatory blind spot" as the reason why full self-driving technology, once considered a distant prospect, has suddenly been introduced in Korea. The Korea-US Free Trade Agreement (FTA) includes a provision that exempts up to 50,000 U.S.-made vehicles per year that meet U.S. safety standards (FMVSS) from having to obtain domestic safety certification (KMVSS). This essentially grants a "free pass" for such vehicles.

This is also related to the level of autonomy. Autonomous driving is generally classified from Level 0 to Level 5. For Level 2, where drivers can take their hands and feet off the controls but must keep their eyes on the road, vehicles can be introduced through self-certification even if they do not meet domestic safety standards. FSD and Super Cruise fall under "Level 2+" (or 2++), which means they add technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) or sensors to Level 2. Tesla describes its system as "supervised," supporting autonomous driving on the premise of driver intervention.

In contrast, Level 3, which allows drivers to take their eyes off the road, requires prior government approval before it can be introduced in Korea. An official from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport stated, "Unlike Level 2, which is supervised and requires the driver to keep their eyes on the road, Level 3 autonomous driving, which allows the driver to look away, can only be introduced after receiving approval."

Tesla Robotaxi running on a road in California, USA. Photo by Reuters and Yonhap News

There are also concerns that users of FSD or Super Cruise will need to pay special attention to safety. This is because drivers are responsible if an accident occurs while driving. While manufacturers or autonomous driving technology developers bear some responsibility for regulatory compliance and accident compensation at Level 3, at Level 2, the responsibility falls squarely on the driver.

Kim Pilsoo, a professor at Daelim University’s Department of Future Automotive Studies, said, "Once people start using FSD or Super Cruise, they may become overly reliant on the technology, leading to lapses in driver supervision and, in the worst case, fatal accidents. Although mass lawsuits could arise in Korea as well, drivers will likely bear significant responsibility due to negligence in keeping their eyes on the road or failing to maintain a safe distance."

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