A2Z CEO Han Ji-hyeong says fully driverless tech is inevitable, pushes exports to Japan and Middle East

Han Ji-hyeong, CEO of Autonomous A2Z, speaks during an interview at the company’s research center in Anyang, south of Seoul. [Photo by Yoo Dae-gil, dbeorlf123@ajunews.com]

"To achieve 100% driverless autonomous driving, we have the full lineup of technologies needed — from software to vehicle hardware, control systems and external infrastructure. Based on that, we will expand exports to Japan, the Middle East and beyond and reach our goal of 30 billion won in annual revenue," Han Ji-hyeong, CEO of Autonomous A2Z, said in an interview on Tuesday at the company’s research center in Anyang.

Han said autonomous driving can reshape urban transportation, raise productivity and help address social challenges such as mobility support for underserved groups and population aging. He said fully driverless technology is an "inevitable future" in the AI era and stressed the need for South Korea not to fall behind the United States and China as he seeks overseas markets.

A2Z, founded in 2018 by Han and four engineers who previously worked at Hyundai Motor, is one of South Korea’s leading autonomous driving companies. Its name reflects its aim to hold all technologies needed for fully driverless operation. The company develops software for AI perception, sensors and vehicle control, along with vehicle platforms, control centers, controllers and remote-driving systems. Its products include the Level 4 driverless vehicle ROii and the autonomous logistics delivery platform COii.

Han said A2Z’s edge is treating autonomous driving as an integrated system rather than a single technology. "Autonomous driving is a massive systems industry where vehicles, software, control centers, remote control and city infrastructure are all connected," he said, adding that a unified platform is essential for practical, fully driverless operation.

He pointed to scenarios such as sudden road construction or blocked lanes. In today’s deployments, a safety driver can intervene. In a fully driverless setting, he said, vehicles may be forced to stop because they are configured not to cross a center line under traffic rules. He cited last year’s large-scale power outage in San Francisco, when Waymo robotaxis stopped and contributed to gridlock, as an example of what could become more common. "In those cases, an external intervention structure that can remotely control the vehicle is essential," Han said, adding that A2Z has built a system that allows a control center to manage vehicles in real time.

Han said A2Z has also chosen a hybrid approach instead of the AI-driven end-to-end method drawing attention in the industry. In A2Z’s design, AI handles perception and decision-making, while a rules-based system performs final control of vehicle movement. Han said the structure addresses a weakness of end-to-end systems: while flexible in unexpected situations, even "0.01%" of extreme behavior can lead to an accident. He said end-to-end logic supports active judgment in complex road environments, while rules-based control governs actual vehicle actions in emergencies, providing layered safety.

A2Z said more than 70% of its employees are developers, with an average age in the 30s and 40s. The company is expanding sales channels in Japan, Singapore and the Middle East. It recently began operating autonomous shuttle buses in Japan and Singapore. In the United Arab Emirates, it has set up a joint venture with AI company Space42 — A2D (Abu Dhabi Autonomous Driving) — and is preparing an autonomous vehicle operations business.

Han said Japan is pushing to introduce 10,000 driverless shuttle buses in 100 cities by 2030 to address issues including aging and mobility support, and Dubai is pursuing a national policy to shift 25% of total traffic to driverless autonomous transport by 2030. He said A2Z expects to play a key role. He added that as U.S.-China tensions intensify, South Korean autonomous driving companies are emerging in the UAE and Dubai as alternatives to Chinese firms.

Han Ji-hyeong, CEO of Autonomous A2Z. [Photo by Yoo Dae-gil, dbeorlf123@ajunews.com]

A2Z is posting more than double growth each year, Han said. The company’s revenue last year was about 16 billion won, and it is targeting 25 billion to more than 30 billion won this year. It expects 10 billion won in revenue from the Middle East alone within the year. Han said 2028 is expected to mark a shift to 60% overseas revenue and 40% domestic. As Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other Middle Eastern markets clarify their transition plans, he said A2Z expects to generate 110 billion won in revenue locally by around 2035.

Han said the company is also pursuing an initial public offering, describing it as a step to validate its technology and business model as well as raise funds. He said A2Z is aiming to become a unicorn — a privately held startup valued at 1 trillion won or more — and warned that a low valuation could dampen investment, putting South Korea at a disadvantage in competition with the United States, China and Israel.

He also called autonomous driving a core security technology that requires active national support. Fully driverless technology, he said, brings together AI, urban data, traffic laws and safety rules — reflecting a country’s legal system and culture. Because the industry is still in its early stages and gaps among countries are not yet large, he said now is a critical window to compete for leadership.

Han said dependence on another country’s autonomous driving software could lead to dependence across hardware, city infrastructure and related systems. He urged the government to act as an early customer. He added that unlike pure IT startups, autonomous driving startups involve manufacturing, creating spillover effects to second- and third-tier vendors and potentially supporting regional economies and job creation.

* This article has been translated by AI.

Han Jiyeon