Kakao Mobility Launches 'Seoul Autonomous Car' Service in Gangnam

Application of AI Perception Model and Operation of Integrated Safety Management Platform
Free Service During Late-Night Hours; Paid Transition Scheduled for April

Kakao Mobility announced on the 15th that it has been selected as a passenger transportation operator for autonomous vehicles in Seoul and will begin operating the Gangnam late-night Seoul Autonomous Vehicle service starting on the 16th.

The Seoul Autonomous Vehicle service will be operated based on Kakao Mobility’s proprietary autonomous driving technology. With this, Kakao Mobility has proven its competitiveness in autonomous driving technology, following its selection as an integrated transportation platform operator in 2024.

Kakao Mobility announced on the 15th that it has been selected as a passenger transportation operator for autonomous vehicles in Seoul and will begin operating the Gangnam late-night Seoul Autonomous Vehicle service starting on the 16th. Autonomous vehicle by Kakao Mobility. Provided by Kakao Mobility

Kakao Mobility explained that, through this latest selection, its capabilities in both platform operation and autonomous driving technology have been validated. The company has internalized core end-to-end (E2E) autonomous driving technology, leveraging its 'AI Planner'—the brain of its autonomous vehicles—which has been enhanced using complex urban data from areas like Pangyo and Gangnam.

The Seoul Autonomous Vehicles operated by Kakao Mobility are equipped not only with advanced hardware design but also with an 'AI Data Pipeline' that trains and verifies autonomous driving AI using data, as well as core autonomous driving solutions that enhance perception and decision-making systems with artificial intelligence (AI).

Since 2018, Kakao Mobility has been collecting real-time urban driving data through its modularized autonomous driving sensor unit, the 'AV-Kit.' The collected data is processed using AI-based intelligent auto-labeling technology and is immediately applied to autonomous driving model training through the company’s proprietary AI Data Pipeline. This approach has enabled the advancement of its autonomous driving AI, which is capable of learning from vast amounts of data on its own.

The perception and decision-making system, which acts as the brain of autonomous driving, has been enhanced with proprietary driving algorithms that incorporate AI technology. The Seoul Autonomous Vehicles employ a deep-learning-based, city-optimized perception core model, allowing the system to identify traffic signals, pedestrians, and other surrounding objects even in complex road environments.

Additionally, the company has combined a 'rule-based approach'—which ensures safety—with the AI Planner’s ability to make human-like, flexible decisions in unpredictable situations. As a result, the driving algorithm delivers real-time responsiveness even in challenging urban environments like Gangnam.

Kakao Mobility also operates an 'Intelligent Autonomous Driving Integrated Safety Management Platform' that enables real-time analysis of autonomous vehicle data and immediate response to unexpected situations. The in-vehicle visualization device (AVV) shares information on surrounding obstacles and route planning with passengers in real time, further increasing trust in the service.

The Gangnam late-night Seoul Autonomous Vehicle service by Kakao Mobility will operate in the Gangnam-gu autonomous driving pilot zone during weekday late-night hours (10 p.m. to 5 a.m. the following day). Users can hail a vehicle by selecting the 'Seoul Autonomous Vehicle' icon on the 'View All' screen within the Kakao T app or by using the general taxi request menu. The service is currently free of charge, but is scheduled to transition to a paid service in April in accordance with Seoul’s autonomous transportation service policy.

Ryu Keungseon, CEO of Kakao Mobility, stated, "At a time when it is crucial to secure independent competitiveness in autonomous driving technology in the domestic mobility market, which remains unconquered by global Big Tech, we will leverage our accumulated mobility data infrastructure and operational capabilities to secure a competitive edge in autonomous driving—the core of future mobility—and advance as a technology company based on physical AI."

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