The Korea Electronics Technology Institute (KETI) is taking the lead in international discussions to standardize charging communication specifications for autonomous vehicles, such as autonomous robots and intelligent mobile vehicles, and is working to establish technical standards for related industries. The core of the initiative is the establishment of a common communication system to resolve compatibility issues between equipment from different manufacturers.

KETI announced on the 6th that three new standard proposals related to charging communication for autonomous vehicles were approved at a meeting under the Joint Technical Committee of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) held in Seoul in April. The proposals were adopted by unanimous vote with the participation of seven countries, including the United States, China, and Japan.

Until now, autonomous vehicle technology has been developed individually by industry, resulting in a lack of common standards for integrated operation across equipment. Consequently, a structure was established where specific equipment connects only to specific chargers, which has acted as a constraint in environments requiring the simultaneous operation of various devices.

This standard proposal focused on organizing the communication method between autonomous entities and charging infrastructure into a single system to resolve these issues. In particular, it was designed to enhance interoperability between equipment and operational efficiency in manufacturing sites or smart city environments by proposing a structure that encompasses the physical layer, network, and application service layers.

KETI researchers will play a key role in the standard development process. Team Leader Park Yong-ju, Researchers Kim Yun-tae and Yoo Je-wook, and Division Head Lim Seung-ok will participate as international standard editors to be responsible for drafting technical documents and coordinating opinions between countries.

This standard is regarded as a case of extending technology first established domestically into international discussions. Given that it proposed an international standard based on domestic standardization experience, it is expected to influence the expansion of the global application scope of autonomous vehicle-related technologies in the future.