That is the plan for autonomous in South Korea.
The South Korean government has laid out its road map for the introduction of autonomous cars – and it contains some ambitious targets. Korea is targeting to commercialize a Level 4 autonomous vehicle in 2027 to release half of newly launched vehicles as Level 4 models in 2035, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport. Additionally, this year Korea aims to become the world’s third country to commercialize a Level 3 autonomous vehicle after the United States and Japan.
“To achieve the aim, the government will overhaul the existing transportation systems, and set up safety standards and insurance programs for autonomous cars to provide Level 4 autonomous bus services as well (by 2027),” the statement said. At Level 4, a vehicle can drive itself under limited conditions and the driver does not have to intervene. At Level 5, a vehicle’s automated driving features can drive under any conditions.
The Transportation Ministry estimates that the commercialization of Level 5 autonomous vehicles will likely reduce the number of car accident deaths to fewer than 1,000 a year. Last year, 2,916 people were killed on the road.
Hyundai Leading the Way in Korea
In South Korea, the trailblazer will be the G90 luxury sedan from Hyundai Motor Group’s upmarket Genesis brand, which is slated to go on sale with the Level 3 Highway Driving Pilot by the end of 2022.
The next significant target will be the introduction of self-driving taxis and buses by 2025. Hyundai showed its capabilities in this area with a pilot of a ride-hailing service in Gangnam, Seoul, earlier this year, in a Level 4 Ioniq 5.
Hyundai Mobis an auto parts and mobility solution maker within Hyundai said earlier this month that it has developed a 5G-based communication module for cars, a core part for autonomous driving and connected car systems that enables real-time, large-volume data processing.
According to Mobis, the new module combines communication and memory functions, as well as a radio frequency circuit and GPS, based on ultra-high speed, ultra-low latency, and hyper-connectivity technology.
For the first step, Mobis will create a new, integrated solution using a 5G communication module and already-developed vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology, to target the global market.
V2X, which refers to a technology that passes information from a vehicle to any entity that may affect the vehicle, is another core technology for connected car systems as it requires an ultra-high-speed communication network.
This integrated 5G communication module and V2X solution will be applied in technologies such as collision avoidance systems, automatic speed control near school zones, and vehicle control during emergencies, which are all still in the nascent stage in terms of development.
The Vexnova Take
South Korea has done a tremendous job pursuing and promoting technology. Following the Korean War, government-assisted initiatives were deployed to help establish a modern economy starting with textile manufacturing and moving into larger markets such as automobiles, telecommunications, and consumer electronics. This led to the emergence of global companies Samsung and LG.
Given South Korea’s success in technology, it is no surprise they are aggressively targeting the next wave of tech and looking to position themselves as a world leader in the autonomous vehicle industry. Already prevalent in semiconductors with a strong 5G network presence will help Korea establish this goal.
We expect South Korea’s investment in this technology and infrastructure will have a significant international impact on the advancement of autonomous vehicles.