Sejong Regulatory Sandbox, Autonomous Driving 'Full-Scale Launch'

Sejong Autonomous Driving Demonstration Project to Officially Begin from the 25th

High-speed autonomous vehicle by Autonomous A2Z

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Cheol-hyun] A demonstration project to secure the safety of autonomous driving technology has officially begun. This marks the first step toward the commercialization of autonomous driving in the Sejong Special Zone, one of the seven regulatory free zones designated by the government in July last year to allow testing of Fourth Industrial Revolution new technologies that were previously blocked by regulations.

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (Minister Park Young-sun, hereinafter referred to as the Ministry) and Sejong Special Self-Governing City (Mayor Lee Chun-hee, hereinafter Sejong City) announced that the 'Sejong Autonomous Driving Demonstration Project' commenced on the 25th. On the same day, Minister Park Young-sun visited Sejong Central Park, the urban park autonomous driving demonstration site, held a communication meeting with the Sejong Mayor, the Happiness City Administrator, autonomous driving companies, and checked safety through an on-site test drive.

So far, in the Sejong Special Zone, efforts have been focused on ensuring safety by manufacturing autonomous vehicles and improving vehicle positioning technology, establishing safety manuals, forming safety inspection committees, and subscribing to liability insurance to prepare for autonomous driving demonstrations in three sections: urban park autonomous driving, low-speed autonomous driving in residential complexes, and high-speed autonomous driving on general roads.

Additionally, to support the demonstration, an 'Autonomous Driving Big Data Control System' utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) technology was established at the Sejong Industry-Academia-Research Cluster Center, and dedicated autonomous driving roads and safety facilities were created in Central Park. Since May of this year, companies with domestic and international capabilities related to autonomous driving, including Phantom AI Korea, Autonomous A2Z, and Naver Systems, have been joining the Sejong Special Zone one after another.

Based on this, Sejong Central Park will first demonstrate the country's first large-scale autonomous shuttle service within an urban park. The domestically produced autonomous vehicle made by Unmanned Solution will be tested until the park's opening in September, and once safety is secured, citizens will be able to experience it directly upon the park's opening.

On the roads, AI Mobility's low-speed autonomous vehicles will be demonstrated in residential complexes near Sejong Tech Valley, and in September, Autonomous A2Z's high-speed autonomous vehicles will be demonstrated on general roads. Various vehicle types will be deployed to discover commercialization models of autonomous driving services suitable for Sejong City's traffic conditions.

Minister Park Young-sun emphasized, "Since the core of digital infrastructure is the convergence of 5G and foundational industries, the '5G 28GHz millimeter wave,' which is gaining attention as a key technology for autonomous driving, must be applied to the Sejong Special Zone. To this end, public and private sectors must unite to revitalize new digital industries based on 5G."

Meanwhile, in Jeonnam's 'e-Mobility Regulatory Free Zone,' a demonstration to secure the safety of driving on roads where ultra-small electric vehicles are prohibited will begin from today around the Amhae Bridge area. Various e-mobility types such as ultra-small electric vehicles, four-wheeled two-wheelers, agricultural power carriers, electric bicycles, and smart personal mobility devices will be sequentially demonstrated to improve safety and develop technologies.