Hyundai to pilot self-drive car through Seoul's most congested areas

Hyundai Motor Group has announced plans of piloting a RoboRide car-hailing service in one of the most congested areas in the South Korean capital city of Seoul. The self-drive Ioniq 5 electric vehicle (EV) will boast of level 4 autonomous driving technology which means it would not have a dedicated driver behind the wheel and rely entirely on technology to safely navigate through the streets of Gangnam.

Gangnam is one of the most populated areas in Seoul but the choice is reflective of the confidence that Hyundai has in its self-drive technology. A temporary permit has already been received from local authorities for the pilot ride project to be carried out. For the entire exercise, the car company has tied up with Jin Mobility, a Korean startup operating the artificial intelligence (AI)-powered car-hailing mobility platform ‘i.M.’. Jin Monility will be responsible for handling two Ioniq 5 EVs. “We expect this RoboRide pilot service will be an important inflection point that will enable us to internalize autonomous driving technology," said Woongjun Jang, Senior Vice President and Head of the Autonomous Driving Center of Hyundai Motor Group.

Self-drive or autonomous vehicles have come a long way since early development stages but while many companies - both technology based and automotive - have achieved some very impressive results in test conditions, the real challenge is out in the real world. Hyundai is now leaving nothing to chance and says it will provide an in-house developed remote vehicle assist system to ensure safety. It further claims that this system monitors autonomous 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. “Based on the level 4 autonomous driving technology, a RoboRide vehicle will perceive, make decisions, and control its own driving status, while its safety driver will only intervene under limited conditions," an official statement from the company informs.