Mars Auto to Expand U.S. Autonomous Trucking Business with Support from Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy

Selected for Both National AI Project and Regulatory Sandbox for New Industries

2 Billion Won in Support Over Two Years... Long-Haul Logistics Expansion Based on "Team Korea"

On May 11, Mars Auto, an autonomous truck startup, announced that it will expand its autonomous trucking business in the United States, supported by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

Mars Auto has been selected for the “Regulatory Sandbox for New Industry Creation” program, operated by the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT) under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and will carry out research and development (R&D) projects worth 2 billion won over the next two years. This program supports follow-up technology development and the spread of achievements for businesses whose market viability has been verified through regulatory sandbox demonstrations.

In addition, Mars Auto is participating in the national AI project “SDV Transition and AI Future Vehicle E2E Autonomous Driving Model Advancement,” receiving support for an exaflops (EFLOPS)-class GPU infrastructure to commercialize unmanned autonomous driving for large trucks. This project is linked to the “AI Future Vehicle M.AX Alliance,” led by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Evaluation Institute of Industrial Technology (KEIT), and is the largest of the 52 projects being promoted.

Previously, leveraging regulatory sandbox approval from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Mars Auto launched paid autonomous cargo transportation services in 2023 in cooperation with major domestic logistics companies and institutions. To date, it has secured over 15 million kilometers of driving data through the operation of eight regular routes and is accumulating over 2,000 hours of real-world driving data per day.

In the United States, Mars Auto is focusing on advancing long-haul freight transportation based on the “Team Korea” system established with domestic manufacturers and logistics companies. In particular, the company is operating autonomous transport on a fixed route of approximately 3,379 kilometers connecting the Port of Long Beach in California to Alabama and Georgia, setting a record for the world's longest single-route autonomous trucking operation.

With this project, Mars Auto plans to expand the number of companies participating in “Team Korea,” increase the deployment of autonomous trucks, gradually expand fixed routes, and accelerate E2E AI learning based on U.S. road environments. In particular, by leveraging the infrastructure secured through the national AI project, the company aims to accelerate the advancement of autonomous driving performance by integrating real driving data collected in both South Korea and the United States.

Ilsoo Park, CEO of Mars Auto, said, "This project is an important milestone in which the government, large corporations, and startups are working together as 'one team' to expand the achievements of paid transport based on domestic regulatory sandbox approvals into the global market. As a practical foundation has now been established for self-driving trucks equipped with our technology to transport export cargo from Korea to the United States, we also plan to announce meaningful results in the first half of the year, including the expansion of fixed routes in Korea."

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