SKT Launches Vehicle AI-Equipped HUD in Collaboration with Telecons

Complete Vehicle Navigation SW Company Telecons and
Launch of Vehicle AI-Equipped T HUD Service

[Asia Economy Reporter Minyoung Cha] SK Telecom announced on the 20th that it has launched a head-up display (HUD) application combined with vehicle artificial intelligence (AI) technology in collaboration with Telecons, a specialized company in automotive navigation software. The app is named MCon.

This T HUD service is the result of a vehicle HUD service development business agreement signed between SKT and Telecons in March. The two companies have conducted nine months of research and development to commercially launch the HUD service equipped with the NUGU Software Development Kit (NUGU SDK).

The existing T HUD navigation service was controlled by touching the app, but the upgraded T HUD now provides safe and smooth navigation services through voice recognition by incorporating the NUGU AI service.

Currently, the HUD devices compatible with the T HUD service applying SKT’s NUGU SDK are Telecons’ sales partner Tplay Mobility’s 'Marluhaneun Aria HUD Q' and HL Holdings’ 'Mando HUD T' products. These are sold through home shopping and both online and offline retail stores.

While SKT’s dedicated automotive AI platform ‘NUGU Auto’ service is expanding in the before-market with companies like Volvo Cars, the T HUD service provides AI HUD services in the aftermarket under the concept of a 'safe driving navigation assistant.' From the driver’s perspective, even if a vehicle without a factory-installed HUD is purchased, a safer and more convenient service than existing HUD services can be obtained in the aftermarket.

In the future, HUD services with added ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) including lane departure warning, forward collision warning, lead vehicle departure alert, and nearby vehicle detection and warning during driving are also being planned through integration with black boxes, another major device in the aftermarket.

Telecons conducted a two-week cloud funding campaign for the 'T play HUD Q' equipped with SKT’s NUGU AI voice service, raising over 200 million KRW and attracting more than 2,000 supporters. Based on this, Telecons aims to reach a cumulative 300,000 users within 2023.

Youngmi Yoo, head of SKT NUGU CO, said, “The combination of Telecons’ promising HUD service and SKT’s AI service is expected to greatly contribute to minimizing forward attention negligence, the leading cause of traffic accidents.”

Imsoo Jung, CEO of Telecons, stated, “We are pleased that the collaboration with SKT on AI technology has become an opportunity for the HUD aftermarket market to grow, and we plan to actively pursue new services to further expand the related market.”