Government Rolls Up Sleeves to Foster Delivery Robots... Plans to Allow Sidewalk Operation Starting Next Year

Office for Government Policy Coordination to Amend Road Traffic Act by Next Year
Delivery Robot Regulations Expected to Be Significantly Relaxed

Woowa Brothers' outdoor delivery robot 'Dilly Drive.'
Photo by Woowa Brothers

[Asia Economy Sejong=Reporter Lee Jun-hyung] The government is pushing to amend the Road Traffic Act by next year to allow autonomous delivery robots to travel on sidewalks.

On the afternoon of the 26th, the Office for Government Policy Coordination announced that it held a meeting to improve regulations on autonomous robots at the Government Complex Seoul, chaired by Yoon Sung-wook, the 2nd Vice Minister of the Office for Government Policy Coordination. Attendees included officials from related ministries such as the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, as well as representatives from delivery robot developers like Woowa Brothers and Newility.

This meeting was organized to promote the revision of laws related to autonomous robots. There have been continuous criticisms that current regulations on autonomous robots hinder industrial development. A representative issue is that autonomous robots are classified as "vehicles" under current law, which in principle prohibits them from traveling on sidewalks and crosswalks. Additionally, under the Park and Green Space Act, powered devices are only allowed to enter parks if they weigh less than 30 kg and have a maximum speed below 25 km/h. Although the delivery robots currently developed, such as Woowa Brothers’ ‘Dilly Drive,’ travel at around 5 km/h, most of them weigh over 30 kg.

The government has not been idle either. Since December 2019, through regulatory sandboxes led by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, partial permissions have been granted for delivery robots to travel on sidewalks, in parks, and use elevators. Delivery robot companies such as Woowa Brothers, Newility, and Robotis are conducting 12 demonstration projects under the regulatory sandbox. In October 2020, the government also established the ‘Robot Industry Regulatory Innovation Roadmap.’ Through this roadmap, the ministries are expanding the operational scope of delivery robots to sidewalks, parks, and elevators, while easing regulations related to personal information.

Delivery robot startup Newbility operates a delivery robot service at the 7-Eleven Seocho I-Park store in Seocho-gu, Seoul. According to domestic regulations, a person must accompany delivery robots operating outdoors for safety reasons. The photo shows Newbility's delivery robot 'Newbee' and an on-site staff member. Photo by Joonhyung Lee

However, the industry response was skeptical. This is because the amendment to the Road Traffic Act allowing delivery robots to travel on sidewalks and crosswalks, which is key to their operation, was originally planned for 2025. According to the industry, the government’s pace of legal revisions is slower compared to advanced countries such as the United States. The U.S. enacted the Personal Delivery Device Act (PDDA) in 2016 and currently allows delivery robot services in 20 states. Japan plans to revise related laws, including the Road Traffic Act, within this year to promote delivery robot services.

In response, the government decided to advance the amendment of the Road Traffic Act ahead of schedule. The related ministries, including the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, will revise the Road Traffic Act by 2023, two years earlier than originally planned in 2025, to allow delivery robots to travel on sidewalks and crosswalks. Additionally, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy will amend the Intelligent Robots Act within the year to establish the legal status of delivery robots, safety certification, and management systems, and introduce regulatory exemptions. Amendments to the Personal Information Protection Act to allow delivery robots access to parks and camera recording will also be pursued within the year.

Regulations requiring on-site personnel to accompany delivery robots will also be eased. Under current regulations, on-site personnel must accompany delivery robots during external operation to ensure safety. Yoon Sung-wook, the 2nd Vice Minister of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, said, "The key issue of allowing travel on sidewalks and crosswalks will be completed by next year, two years ahead of schedule, and permissions for park access and amendments to the Personal Information Protection Act will be finalized within the year. Conditions such as on-site personnel accompaniment, which are additional requirements of the regulatory sandbox, will be actively relaxed in the first half of this year, considering the results of demonstrations so far."