Hyundai Motor is poised to operate an autonomous driving platform in Seoul. With the operating period of the existing provider, Kakao Mobility, coming to an end, the city has opened the door to multiple new operators. This move is expected to enhance data collection and accelerate the commercialization of robo-taxis.
According to industry sources, the Seoul city government held an evaluation committee meeting on the recruitment of private operators for the autonomous vehicle transportation platform on the afternoon of August 27. Several companies submitted proposals by the application deadline on August 24. The final results were communicated individually to the bidding companies.
The core of this initiative is to allow private operators to directly manage reservations, calls, and payments for autonomous vehicles operating in Seoul. When a user requests a vehicle through the platform, the system assesses regional demand and the location of nearby vehicles to dispatch an autonomous car. In 2024, Kakao Mobility secured the rights to operate the service exclusively through its KakaoT platform.
However, this time, it is anticipated that multiple operators will collaborate. The selection process has changed to allow all operators scoring 85 points or higher to be chosen, reflecting the city’s intention to provide equal opportunities to private companies. If they meet the criteria, Hyundai could operate the Seoul autonomous transportation platform alongside Kakao Mobility and other providers.
Hyundai had also participated in the bidding process for the previous operator selection. If Hyundai successfully operates the autonomous vehicle transportation platform in Seoul, it is expected to deploy its AI-based demand-responsive mobility platform, SHUCLE.
SHUCLE analyzes real-time demand and traffic information to create optimal routes and dispatch vehicles. Since 2019, Hyundai has gained operational experience in 33 local governments and over 82 regions across the country.
In the second half of this year, SHUCLE will also be utilized in an autonomous driving pilot project in Gwangju. The plan is to validate an integrated service model that connects autonomous vehicles, the platform, and users, encompassing vehicle control, dispatch management, and operational data analysis.
By directly operating the platform, Hyundai can go beyond vehicle development and supply to secure actual data. Given that Seoul is a densely populated urban area with high traffic and mobility demand, various data can be accumulated during the calling, dispatching, and operational processes. This data will be used to enhance autonomous driving technology and services, laying the groundwork for future robo-taxi commercialization.
Hyundai is focusing on building a 'data flywheel.' This involves collecting data from vehicles and services, analyzing it to improve AI and autonomous driving technology, and applying the enhanced technology back to vehicles and services in a virtuous cycle. The strategy includes integrating autonomous driving data collected from Hyundai, Kia, and 42dot.
An industry insider stated, "Diverse data collection is essential for advancing autonomous driving technology."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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