Strategies to Strengthen Competitiveness in the Autonomous Driving Industry through Convergent Collaboration
"Industry Cooperation, Fostering Specialized Startups, and Policy Development Needed to Lead Autonomous Driving"
[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] Domestic mobility companies and institutions have decided to join forces by establishing the Korea Autonomous Driving Industry Association to create an autonomous driving industry ecosystem and lead the global market.
The Korea Automotive Technology Institute, Korea Transportation Safety Authority, and Korea Autonomous Driving Industry Association held the founding ceremony of the Korea Autonomous Driving Industry Association and an autonomous driving industry innovation forum on the 13th at the Conrad Hotel in Yeouido, Seoul.
The newly founded autonomous driving association initially included 10 companies and institutions as founding members and members, such as Hyundai Motor Company, Hyundai Mobis, Mando Mobility Solutions, Socar, Kakao Mobility, KT, Controlworks, ThorDrive, Korea Automotive Technology Institute, and Automotive Safety Research Institute.
The event was attended by Park Jin-gyu, 1st Vice Minister of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy; Hwang Seong-gyu, 2nd Vice Minister of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport; Cho Seong-hwan, CEO of Hyundai Mobis and chairman of the autonomous driving association; Heo Nam-yong, president of the Korea Automotive Technology Institute; Kwon Yong-bok, chairman of the Korea Transportation Safety Authority; Kim Dong-wook, vice president of Hyundai Motor Company; Yoon Pal-ju, CEO of Mando Mobility Solutions; Jang Seong-wook, head of future business at Kakao Mobility; Kim Ji-young, head of the New Rules Division at Socar; and about 30 other autonomous driving industry stakeholders and experts.
Government officials attending the founding ceremony of the autonomous driving association pledged to provide support policies to secure domestic autonomous driving competitiveness that will transform the future mobility paradigm. Park Jin-gyu , 1st Vice Minister, stated, "To dominate the global autonomous driving market, joint efforts between the government and the private sector are essential," adding, "We will seek the association’s opinions on autonomous driving policy implementation and support various activities promoted by the association." Hwang Seong-gyu, 2nd Vice Minister, also said, "We plan to expand support policies to create an autonomous driving industry ecosystem and secure domestic autonomous driving competitiveness together with the association."
President Heo also responded in his welcoming remarks, saying, "We will strive to secure world-class autonomous driving technology competitiveness through cooperation with various companies, including complete vehicle and parts industries, semiconductors, software, and services." Chairman Kwon emphasized, "We will take the lead in the successful development of the autonomous driving industry by creating a safe traffic environment in the autonomous driving era, which integrates automobiles, IT, and mobility services."
Chairman Cho, in his opening remarks, stated, "The Korea Autonomous Driving Industry Association will do its best to lead the foundation for the development of the domestic autonomous driving industry and technological advancement, enhancing public safety and convenience with world-leading technology and contributing to national economic development."
At the forum held to commemorate the founding of the autonomous driving association under the theme of "Advancement of Autonomous Driving and Mobility Innovation," advice from academia and industry followed on cooperation among industries, fostering specialized startups, and policy development to revitalize the autonomous driving industry. Professor Seo Seung-woo of Seoul National University, delivering the keynote speech titled "Innovation in Autonomous Driving Technology and Mobility Paradigm Shift," emphasized, "To strengthen the competitiveness of the autonomous driving industry market, securing software technology, where Korea is relatively behind, is very important alongside hardware development and infrastructure construction." He added, "To strengthen independent software development capabilities, public-private cooperation, collaboration across different industries, and fostering related specialized startups should be actively promoted to revitalize the ecosystem."
Seo Jae-hyung, PD of Autonomous Vehicles, and Ko Bong-cheol, sector head of Hyundai Mobis ADAS systems, emphasized that to create a safe and reliable K-autonomous driving system without accidents, the government and industry must jointly establish policies on convergence technology, roads, facilities, legislation, and systems to prepare for the future market. Choi In-seong, head of the Autonomous Driving Innovation Division at Korea Transportation Safety Authority, and Yoo Si-bok, director of the Autonomous Cooperative Driving Research Center at the Korea Automotive Technology Institute, also stated that to lead the autonomous driving ecosystem, it is important to establish strategies such as activating nationwide pilot operation zones, standards for key autonomous driving parts and systems, and vehicle information openness standards. Lee Seong-hyung, team leader of KT’s Future Platform Business Division, and Wi Hyun-jong, Chief Software Officer (CSO) of Socar, announced plans to expand the mobility service area as autonomous driving advances.
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