With the’Kakao T’app that used to call a taxi, it also calls autonomous cars. The fee is 1,000 won. It became a reality in Sejong City from last month. The first self-driving shuttle in Korea that calls for money goes back and forth between the government building and the 4km section.
[인터뷰] Sejong City’Autonomous Driving Call Shuttle’ KakaoㆍAtoZ
Sang-wook Jang of Kakao Mobility (hereinafter referred to as Kamo), who plans and operates the service, and Ji-hyung Han, CEO of Autonomus A2G (hereinafter referred to as A2G), met at Pangyo, Seongnam City, Gyeonggi-do. They said, “Google Waymo will not be able to beat us on domestic roads” (Chang) and “Autonomous driving creates local jobs” (Han).
From left, Ji-Hyung Han, CEO of Autonomous A2G and Sungwook Jang, Managing Director of Kakao Mobility. I took off my mask for a while for a photo shoot. Photo Kakao Mobility
- Are there any conflicts with taxis in Sejong City?
- CEO Ji-Hyung Han (hereinafter referred to as Han): I was worried, but rather welcomed. In Sejong City, the city is growing, but taxis are insufficient. Getting out-of-town taxis is a big conflict, and because of the total fee system, you cannot increase your taxi license. So, autonomous shuttles could be introduced quickly.
- Sangwook Jang (Chapter hereafter): Looking at Seoul alone, I wonder if it is necessary to drive autonomously, but the circumstances are different in areas where public transportation is weak. Autonomous driving can solve the inconvenience of citizens’ mobility without compromising the backlash of existing operators.
The self-driving shuttle of Sejong City is used by more than 60 experienced groups approved by the city as the Kakao T app, and the number of users is expected to increase in the future. The autonomous driving technology developed by A2G was applied. Founded by Hyundai Motor Company in 2018, A2G has been conducting research and business on autonomous driving with local governments in Seoul, Seongnam, Anyang, Sejong, Daegu, Gwangju, and Ulsan.
- Is autonomous driving a business possibility?
- One : The economic feasibility of self-driving special vehicles such as shuttles and cleaning vehicles is higher than that of ordinary passenger cars. A2G is promoting autonomous driving of sweepers and patrol cars with Gwangju Metropolitan City. Even though it is difficult to drive a sweeper at night and there is a risk of accidents, autonomous driving can solve it.
- Chapter: The same goes for autonomous driving of freight cars. In November last year, Kamo developed and demonstrated a freight vehicle autonomous platooning platform. When autonomous driving of trucks becomes possible, the risk of accidents is reduced by reducing fatigue of truck drivers who drive at high speeds for long periods of time, and vehicle fuel economy is improved.
- What if there is an accident while riding an autonomous car?
- One : Insurance products for autonomous vehicles are coming out. In particular, because the Sejong City Shuttle carries passengers, it has signed up for Korea’s first self-driving paid transportation insurance (Hyundai Marine). In the case of an autonomous vehicle running with software, it is difficult to judge the negligence of the driver. In the event of an accident, the insurance company compensates the victim first, and the manufacturer and the cause are analyzed later.
- The competition for autonomous driving technology is fierce worldwide.
- Chapter: Autonomous driving requires knowledge of the road characteristics, infrastructure, transportation culture, and climate of the region. Even if Google’s Waymo, called the’final king’ of capital and technology, enters Korea, that is why domestic companies are competitive.
- One : You also need to learn regional driving styles. In Chungcheong-do, self-driving cars are allowed to’driving a man’, but in Seoul and Gyeonggi, it is taught that’to enter the right turn lane, push your head first. The recent increase in the number of kickboards and delivery motorcycles is also an important variable.
On December 17, 2020, the self-driving shuttle paid call service began with Kakao T App in Sejong City. Photo Kakao Mobility
Unmanned autonomous driving has not yet been allowed in Korea. A person (safety driver) rides in the driver’s seat of an autonomous shuttle in Sejong City. I don’t hold the steering wheel, but prepare for an emergency.
- Anyway, people get in the car.
- Chapter: Autonomous driving is not a technology for removing people from cars. It increases the value of time spent in the car. Will future bus and taxi drivers become a job like a cabin manager, taking care of passengers’ safety and providing services?
- One : Even if the patrol car runs autonomously, the police ride. Now, the police are driving and have to look ahead, but in an autonomous patrol car, you can focus on the patrol itself by looking around enough. The security effect is much higher. Apart from this, autonomous driving technology can create many local jobs.
- What does it have to do with local jobs?
- One : A2G is teaching autonomous driving to Gyeongil University students through industry-academia cooperation with Gyeongil University in Gyeongbuk. They are working for Hyundai Motor Company’s primary partners in Daegu and Gyeongbuk. Vehicles are different from smartphones, so they do not change parts that have been confirmed once. When Hyundai Motors develops an autonomous vehicle, it has no choice but to use foreign-made autonomous vehicle parts if domestic autonomous vehicle parts are not supplied in time. Only then will it be late if a domestic parts maker tries to catch up with the self-driving parts manufacturing technology. It is also difficult to use a fast follower strategy. You have to invest in this in order to maintain domestic manufacturing jobs.
- Why does Kakao cooperate with other companies?
- Chapter: As autonomous driving develops, boundaries between areas collapse. If you call a car without a driver, is it a taxi or a rental car? Are courier drivers and self-driving cars carrying cargo for passengers or freight? Therefore, cooperation among other industries is important in autonomous driving. We are trying to create various partnerships.
Several companies research and develop autonomous driving, but draw different pictures. For the graceful brothers (people of delivery), autonomous driving is’autonomous driving delivery’, and for Socar,’autonomous driving sharing’. Then what is it for Kakao?
- Kakao’s big picture of autonomous driving is.
- Chapter: It is to increase user convenience in daily movement. For example, by analyzing Kakao T data, it is possible to find the optimal getting on and off points for each destination, and when combined with autonomous driving, it becomes a more edge service.
Reporter Shim Seo-hyun [email protected]
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