Gov't to Launch Nation's First Autonomous Urban Driving Pilot in Gwangju

Gwangju has been selected as the nation's first urban autonomous driving pilot zone. The government plans to deploy 200 vehicles with the goal of realizing Level 4 fully autonomous driving by the end of 2027. In the initial stages of the project, the government will adopt a phased growth strategy, operating at Level 3 with drivers onboard to intervene, while simultaneously training the artificial intelligence (AI). Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Kim Yoon-deok stated, "Gwangju will create an autonomous driving industry that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the United States and China."

The city of Ulsan has officially requested the government to select it as the second test bed pilot zone. Ulsan revealed plans to collect various data using a fleet of 200 vehicles, citing its operational expertise with autonomous buses and established industrial infrastructure.

Currently, the accumulated driving distance for autonomous driving in South Korea is merely one-tenth that of the U.S. or China, drawing significant attention to the government's selection process for additional pilot cities and the upcoming results.