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| Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong speaks during a press briefing at the Sejong Government Complex, Monday. Yonhap |
By Lee Kyung-min
The government will seek the full implementation of autonomous driving by 2027, a policy goal buttressed by a series of pilot program plans including late-night operations of driverless buses in select metropolitan areas by 2025, the transport ministry said Monday.
The public transportation system will undergo a major overhaul in 2024 to facilitate the early operation of the high-tech future mobility network, a move increasingly being adopted by Korea's advanced peers, including Germany and Japan.
Safety concerns will be dispelled in large part by the establishment of new insurance standards, whereby accountability while driving will be clearly assigned among drivers, manufacturers and infrastructure operators of autonomous vehicles.
Fewer hours driving means more free time
Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong said the government will fortify capabilities to advance autonomous driving and urban air mobility (UAM), thereby helping promising local firms expand their presence in the global market. UAM uses small, highly automated aircraft to carry passengers or cargo at low altitudes in urban areas, mostly to avoid traffic congestion.
"We spend a quarter of our life on the road, except when we work or sleep," Won said during a press briefing at the Sejong Government Complex, Monday. "The goal of the government is to innovate mobility, giving people back more time."
The ministry plans to commercialize Level 3 autonomous driving by December, after Germany and Japan. Level 3 driving is where drivers can hand over control to the vehicle, but must be ready to take over when prompted.
Aviation mobility is another key task. Fully commercialized UAM services will start being provided in 2025, following safety and communication system tests in South Jeolla Province.
Smart logistics services will enable customized robot- and drone-mediated delivery systems in stages through 2025, generating demand for overnight or same-day deliveries of light-weight parcels.
"Mobility innovation is falling behind rapid technological changes in the private sector," Won said. "The government's assistance and deregulation efforts will help private mobility market players thrive in the years to come, leading to better, more convenient transport services for the public."
