With Tesla’s development of mass-produced electric vehicles, the era of self-driving electric vehicles, which was considered only a distant future, has opened. Automobile manufacturers from all over the world who have confirmed the potential of mass-produced electric vehicles have entered the electric vehicle market, and are focusing on developing autonomous driving technology aimed at the future society. In particular, the transition to a future car is expected to accelerate as Apple, the representative player of innovation, has also entered the autonomous electric vehicle market.
By the way, it is said that autonomous driving technology, which is in the spotlight as a future technology today, was already developed in Korea 25 years ago. What is this? Besides, at the time, Mercedes and Volkswagen even came to learn technology, but what happened? Today’s AutoPost Issue Plus is ahead of the times, but takes a step further into the story of domestic autonomous driving technology that has not been commercialized due to the domestic environment.
Written Choong Lee’s Editor
The first in the world
Autonomous car
There are people who have already demonstrated self-driving technology before Tesla, which has been shouting innovation while promoting autonomous driving and electric vehicle technology all over the world, has appeared. That’s nothing else in Korea. This is Professor Minhong Han, a former professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering at Korea University.
In June 1993, Professor Han conducted a test drive in Seoul with a self-driving car made by remodeling the rockstar of Asian automobiles. At that time, it was the first in the world that an autonomous vehicle was driven on a highway that was not a test driving ground without difficulty in autonomous driving in a section of about 17 km.
It wasn’t just smooth
Autonomous driving project
Professor Han’s self-driving project was initially started with the aim of effectively transporting military supplies. However, at the time, immediately after the military regime, there was strong resistance to the military, so a professor’s research for the military was not welcomed by students.
It was even reported that a vehicle under development was terrorized by some students. Accordingly, Professor Han decided that further research would be difficult, and the direction of the project that had been for military use was changed to civilian use.
Korean in the world
Focused on autonomous driving technology
Although there were twists and turns at the alma mater, public interest in autonomous vehicles, which made the world’s first public road driving achievement, was hot. Accordingly, in 1995, two years after the first road driving, he attended an international conference and presented the achievements of autonomous driving technology in front of the world. Foreign manufacturers who were exposed to the technology gathered about the professor’s autonomous driving project, saying, “20 years are advanced technology.”
It is said that Mercedes and Volkswagen in Germany visited a professor to learn technology. Since then, Professor Han has developed a mini-helicopter, a prototype of a drone, and an automatic driving guidance system, which is now a navigation system. However, the technology of a professor who was ahead of the times was not commercialized. What is the reason?
That was passive at the time
Technology investment environment
It is not that a professor did not attempt to commercialize the technology. After the achievements were announced at an international conference, it applied for a project for industrial technology development to the domestic government in order to commercialize autonomous driving technology. However, a professor’s request was not accepted. This is because, unlike foreign countries where investment in innovative technology is actively made, domestic at the time was not aware of the necessity of technology investment.
Someone even said to a professor, “I can buy technology, why do you have to spend money to develop it?” Even though the government’s investment was frustrated, Professor Han continued to make efforts to commercialize the technology, but it was not easy to achieve this from an individual standpoint. Eventually, the domestic autonomous driving project, which was the first in the world to drive on the highway and attracted attention to Mercedes and Volkswagen, was not commercialized.
“Korea made Korea”
Netizens expressing regret
Netizens who heard the news lamented that the same thing was being repeated. It is said that an environment in which talented people can demonstrate their capabilities has not yet been created. Negative reactions to the domestic environment continued, such as “Korea did Korea”, “individual competency is excellent, but the country is holding back”, and “Korea is too passive to invest in the fourth industry”.
Professor Han Min-hong also expressed regrets such as “I think I was born too early”, “Technology did not keep up with the times”, “I was able to become Elon Musk of Korea even if I was a little late”, and “I met the times wrong.” Netizens were mainly found.
Steadily emerging
Poor environmental problems
It is not the first time that talented individuals have not been able to demonstrate their capabilities due to the poor domestic environment like the reaction of netizens. Shin Seok-gyun, a Korean, developed the present milk pack for use by people all over the world, but was unable to register a patent because Korea was in an exhibition situation at the time.
It is already very famous that Ahn Hyun-soo, who was a short-track Olympic star, naturalized to Russia due to poor conditions. Mathematics gifted students who surprise the public are also appearing steadily, but there are many cases in which genius is lost due to a uniform education system.
Always
Only dragons in Gaecheon
Can’t expect
The Republic of Korea has produced sports stars who will surprise the world, such as Yuna Kim, Jisung Park and Heungmin Son, even in the harsh environment. Recently, director Bong Joon-ho and BTS are producing world-class talent in the cultural world. Thanks to the stars who succeeded in overcoming the harsh environment, interest in the field increases, and there is a virtuous cycle in which an environment in which they can gradually develop their capabilities is being created. Like Yuna Kim, who made hundreds of millions of won to improve the ice environment.
However, it is not always possible to expect dragons to appear in Gaecheon. The field that has not yet produced dragons is struggling in a harsh environment, and the second and third Elon Musk are losing their light. The outflow of talent will be prevented only by creating an environment in advance so that talented individuals can demonstrate their capabilities.
The continued talent outflow
To prevent
Environment needs improvement
Among the Korean proverbs, there is a saying, “If you don’t like temple, Zhong will leave.” This means that if you don’t like the environment, the individual leaves in search of a better environment. Korea has already suffered a serious outflow of talent due to the poor environment. Therefore, in recent years, the government has been engaged in various projects such as support for start-ups and fostering human resources.
Until now, Korean society has missed numerous opportunities because of its narrow perspective and closed mindset. Nevertheless, the Republic of Korea is making its name public and developing steadily. If we do not miss this opportunity and do not repeat the same mistakes, we will have to work harder to create an environment in which individuals can develop their competencies. It was Auto Post Issue Plus.
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