"Starting the Counterattack... Aiming for Top 3" Korea's Autonomous Driving Team Unites in Gwangju

Korea Autonomous Driving Team Launched and Business Agreement Signed
Hyundai Unveils Dedicated SDV for Autonomous Driving

Companies, the government, and local municipalities have joined forces to develop proprietary autonomous driving technology. The entire city has been designated as a pilot zone, with specially manufactured vehicles for autonomous technology development collecting data as they operate. The National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Data Center manages the information accumulated by these vehicles.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on May 13 that it held the “Korea Autonomous Driving Team Business Agreement Signing Ceremony” at the Kimdaejung Convention Center in Gwangju. Following last month’s designation of the entire city of Gwangju as an autonomous driving demonstration zone and the selection of participating companies, the official launch event was held. At the launch ceremony, representatives from the government, local municipalities, and private companies signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to cooperate throughout all phases of the project.

An autonomous shuttle without a driver's seat is undergoing test runs in the Cheonggyecheon area of Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

At the event, Hyundai Motor Company unveiled, for the first time, its software-defined vehicle (SDV) developed specifically for autonomous driving technology. Based on the dedicated electric vehicle IONIQ 5, this model is equipped with 360-degree cameras and radar on the front, rear, and sides as standard, and can also be fitted with additional sensors such as lidar. It is capable of real-time communication with operating companies and allows for separate control of driving, steering, and braking functions. Each vehicle costs over 200 million won.

Hyundai Motor Company, along with Autonomous A2Z and RideFlux, will receive the vehicles as early as next month, with a total of 200 units to be distributed. Each company will apply its own sensors, software, and systems, conduct safety verification, and proceed with operations. Driving data will be shared among the participants, as the speed and volume of high-quality data accumulation and analysis are directly linked to technological advancement.

Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance, which is developing an exclusive insurance product, will be responsible for emergency response in the event of accidents involving these vehicles, as well as accident cause analysis. The Korea Transportation Safety Authority will handle project management and performance verification for 24-hour demonstration operations. Gwangju City will support infrastructure such as depots and charging facilities, while the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will oversee policy, regulations, and overall project supervision. The launch event also included a recruitment briefing for the demonstration project, with participating institutions and companies planning to prioritize hiring local talent.

The government aims to achieve Level 4 autonomous driving—vehicles operating without drivers and independently responding to unexpected situations—by 2027 through a virtuous cycle of “data accumulation → AI learning → demonstration.” As the technology gap between domestic and international companies has widened under the support of big tech firms and substantial government backing, the public and private sectors plan to pool their capabilities to catch up.

Yoonduk Kim, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, stated, “We cannot afford to fall behind the United States and China, the global leaders in autonomous driving,” adding, “Today marks the beginning of our counterattack as we strive to become one of the global top three.”

Experts point out that the government has a role to play in accelerating the era of autonomous driving. Ha Sungyong, President of the Korea Automobile Mobility Safety Association, said, “By conducting demonstrations in urban areas, we need to improve regulations and standardize data to clarify safety standards.” Donghoon Shin, Professor at the Department of Artificial Intelligence at Korea Maritime & Ocean University, noted, “To enhance public trust and acceptance of autonomous driving technology, the government must also strengthen its management and oversight capabilities across all aspects of technology development, safety performance, and operational systems.”

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