Hyundai to launch autonomous car-hailing service in Gangnam

Hyundai Motor Group (HMG) announced that it will pilot the computer-controlled car-hailing service RoboRide at Gangnam in Seoul, South Korea.

The automotive giant said that the initiative will be the first of its kind to operate in Gangnam — one of the highly-populated areas in metropolitan Seoul.

In a statement, HMG noted that the service was made in collaboration with Jin Mobility, a Korean startup company running the artificial intelligence (AI)-powered car-hailing mobility platform i.M..

For the pilot program to be authorized, HMG secured a temporary autonomous driving operation permit from Korea's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT).

Further, the mobility firm also said that it has plans to expand the pilot service, “while further developing autonomous driving technology with consideration for various conditions, such as driving stability.”

“At Hyundai Motor Group, we are developing Level 4 autonomous driving technology based on the internally developed Advanced Driving Support System (ADAS), whose functionally and safety are verified through mass production and successful commercial launch,” Hyundai Motor Group Senior Vice President and Head of the Autonomous Driving Center Woongjun Jang was quoted as saying.

“We expect this RoboRide pilot service will be an important inflection point that will enable us to internalize autonomous driving technology,” he added.

For his part, Jin Mobility Chief Executive Officer Lee Seong-wook said that the company has been boosting its capabilities by working on research and development with relevant institutions.

“Starting with the RoboRide pilot service in collaboration with Hyundai Motor Group, we look forward to leading the future mobility scene,” he said.

In preparation for such an arduous task, HMG partnered with the Seoul Metropolitan Government to establish a system that can connect traffic signals with self-driving vehicles and has gathered driving data since 2019 in Gangnam.

Moreover, HMG will provide an in-house developed remote vehicle assist system that monitors driving status, vehicle and route, and supports the trip with remote assist functions, such as changing the lane under circumstances where autonomous driving is not feasible.

The RoboRide pilot service will operate from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mondays to Fridays. Up to three passengers are allowed per ride and a safety driver (who will only intervene under limited conditions) will be in the vehicle to respond to possible emergencies.

The demonstration service is planned to be initially offered to internally-selected personnel and in the future, to general customers.

Photos from Hyundai

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