'Mobility Innovation Roadmap' scheduled for announcement in August
Autonomous driving pilot zones to expand nationwide

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has announced a plan to visualize outcomes by prioritizing the commercialization of Level 3 autonomous vehicles.

Minister Won Hee-ryong of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport included mobility innovation in the new government's business plan for expanding new growth engines reported to the President on the 18th.

In this regard, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport stated that it is necessary to establish a national core strategy for achieving global leadership and spreading citizen-experienced services in the mobility era, and announced that it will release the 'Mobility Innovation Roadmap' within August.

Through the operation of the Mobility Innovation Committee, launched in June with private sector participation, the government will prepare tasks, and under a structure where the private sector leads and the government supports, major projects in autonomous driving, UAM, and digital logistics appear to be under preparation.

The roadmap includes the content of commercializing Level 4 fully autonomous vehicles by 2027, announced as a new government state affair, and notably includes a section on early visualization of outcomes such as prioritizing the commercialization of Level 3 autonomous vehicles within the year.

The Level 3 autonomous vehicle to be commercialized within the year is a stage of conditional automation where the system performs all driving operations. Starting from Level 3, passengers can freely use their mobile phones and do not need to keep their eyes on the road, with drivers only needing to intervene in dangerous situations—this is the level of autonomous driving.

Level 4 autonomous driving, targeting commercialization in 2027, is a stage of advanced automation where, like Level 3, the system handles all driving. This can be considered a true autonomous driving stage where the system manages driving even in dangerous situations, requiring no driver intervention.

More than a month has passed since the autonomous driving pilot zones were expanded to 14 zones, double the previous number. The roadmap also includes bold content about sweeping away regulations by allowing nationwide implementation.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced that it will convert pilot regulation, such as autonomous vehicle test zones, to a negative regulatory system to expand demonstrations from limited areas to nationwide, with only prohibited areas specified separately.

Additionally, approximately 2 expressway sections will be selected where autonomous vehicles can operate freely, and the ministry demonstrated its commitment to achieving commercialization targets through R&D and establishment of regulatory foundations.

Minister Won Hee-ryong of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport stated, "In the era of mobility with autonomous vehicles and urban air mobility, we will innovate regulations and support technology development so that corporate innovation and creativity can flourish."