A roadmap is needed that encompasses the entire autonomous vehicle industry, from technology to demand.
Lack of core technology and software makes it difficult to enter as a latecomer.

Currently, the domestic autonomous vehicle industry lacks both technology and regulations. Testbeds and related personnel have also not been secured.

With forecasts emerging that four out of ten new cars will be autonomous vehicles by 2030, opinions have been raised that the future of the domestic autonomous vehicle industry is not bright.

Lee Hang-gu, a senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade, explained, “Countries such as the U.S., the U.K., and China have roadmaps for autonomous vehicles. Korea, however, lacks a roadmap that encompasses the entire autonomous vehicle industry.” He added, “While roadmaps in other countries include all aspects of the industry, such as technology and demand, Korea views technology and demand separately, resulting in frequent changes to the technology roadmap.”

According to the 'Autonomous Vehicle Readiness Index Report' released by KPMG International, South Korea ranked 10th out of 20 countries. It ranked 14th in policy and regulations, 11th in consumer acceptance, 9th in technology and innovation, and 4th in infrastructure.

The researcher stated, “Autonomous vehicles are driven by multi-convergence and the convergence of science, not independent growth. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) should take the lead rather than large corporations,” adding, “The biggest problem is the lack of core technology and software. Without technology, it will be difficult to even catch up as a latecomer.”

Due to the limitations of fuel efficiency reduction technology for internal combustion engine vehicles and environmental concerns, autonomous vehicles are expected to use electric power. Accordingly, the United States is developing 350kW fast chargers with large-scale investment. Japan is conducting research on autonomous vehicles using hydrogen fuel cells, led by Toyota. Europe and India have gradually begun restricting fossil fuel vehicles.

The researcher pointed out that while the electric vehicle parts market itself is expanding as powertrain technology, lightweighting, aerodynamics, and friction loss reduction become increasingly important, domestic companies are failing to respond. Furthermore, stating that “the landscape of the autonomous vehicle industry is not determined by automakers,” the researcher emphasized the shift from automobile manufacturing to smart mobility services.

He explained, “The domestic autonomous vehicle market’s heavy dependence on existing automakers is due to the failure of policies and the lack of a formed market.” He added, “Compared to the number of EVs in circulation, there are many fast-charging stations installed here compared to other countries. The problem is that due to a lack of promotion, few people are properly aware of and use them. For the autonomous vehicle market, it will be crucial how the initial market is formed based on consumer demand.”

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport aims to establish a foundation for Level 4 fully autonomous driving in stages by 2026. Accordingly, it is pursuing policies such as unmanned shuttle pilot projects, the construction of road infrastructure (C-ITS), precision maps, safety standards, and insurance/recall systems.

K-City, which is set to be fully opened this year, is a testbed that reflects various environments ranging from urban centers and parking facilities to expressways and outer roads. C-ITS is also planned to be expanded to enable traffic monitoring via V2I on expressways nationwide by 2020. High-precision 3D map information is also being made available to the public for free to support the development of autonomous vehicles.

The researcher pointed out, “K-City cannot conduct tests under extreme conditions. It only has straight tunnel courses. The autonomous vehicle test track under construction in Willow Run, USA, allows for testing even in extreme situations through high-speed driving and curved tunnels,” adding, “While it may be possible to create high-precision maps for the domestic market, creating maps for the entire world is difficult.”

He predicted that future cars would run on data rather than fuel. “We must view the autonomous vehicle industry pessimistically and prepare accordingly. Entering the market before its direction is determined is a problem, but entering too late is also a problem. There is no second place in this market,” he emphasized. “Since it is dominated by core technology and software, imitation is difficult, so there is no possibility as a latecomer. We must expand the market not only domestically but also overseas and catch up through cooperation.”