Summary
Kakao Mobility has shared its new plan to create Level 4 self-driving technology. This project is part of the company’s focus on "physical AI," which means putting artificial intelligence into real-world machines like cars. By building these systems in-house, the company aims to make transportation smarter and safer across South Korea. This roadmap shows how they will move from testing small groups of cars to running a full self-driving network.
Main Impact
The biggest impact of this plan is the push for a local self-driving industry that does not rely on outside technology. Kakao Mobility is not just building cars for itself; it is creating a system that other companies can use. By sharing its maps and data, Kakao is helping smaller startups and car makers get into the self-driving market faster. This could make South Korea a leader in how AI interacts with the physical world, changing how people move around cities every day.
Key Details
What Happened
At the 2026 World IT Show in Seoul, Kakao Mobility’s vice president, Kim Jin-kyu, explained the company’s future. He spoke about how AI is moving from computer screens into reality. The company is focusing on Level 4 autonomy, which means the car can drive itself completely within certain areas. Passengers in these cars do not need to watch the road or take the steering wheel. This technology is being built to handle everything from seeing the road to making quick safety decisions.
Important Numbers and Facts
The roadmap is supported by real-world data from a taxi service in the Gangnam district of Seoul. Between September 2024 and February 2026, this service completed 7,754 trips. Most importantly, there were zero accidents caused by the self-driving system during this time. The service was so successful that the city expanded the fleet from three cars to seven. In April 2026, the service changed from a free test to a paid transport option for the public. The World IT Show where this was announced featured 460 different companies from 17 countries, showing how much interest there is in this field.
Background and Context
Self-driving cars are rated on a scale from Level 0 to Level 5. Level 4 is a very high stage where the car is the boss of the driving task. It works best in "geofenced" areas, which are specific zones like a city center or a business park. Kakao Mobility is calling this "physical AI" because it connects digital intelligence with physical movement. For years, AI was mostly used for things like chatbots or sorting photos. Now, companies want AI to do physical work, like driving taxis or delivering goods. This shift is important because it requires the software to understand the messy, unpredictable nature of real-world traffic.
Safety and Control Systems
To make people feel safe, Kakao Mobility is building several layers of protection. One tool is a 3D visualizer. This is a screen inside the car that shows passengers exactly what the car "sees" in real time. If the car spots a person crossing the street or another car turning, it shows up on the screen. This helps people trust that the car is paying attention.
The company is also setting up a 24-hour control center. If a car gets confused or encounters a strange situation, human workers can see what is happening and help remotely. They are also using "vision-language models." This is a type of AI that can look at a video feed and describe what is happening in plain language, helping the system spot problems or unusual behavior on the road immediately.
Open Ecosystem Plan
Kakao Mobility believes that one company cannot build the future of transport alone. They plan to share their technology assets with others. This includes high-definition (HD) maps, which are much more detailed than the maps on a standard smartphone. These maps tell the car exactly where the curbs, signs, and lanes are located. They will also share their software tools and data from millions of miles of driving. By doing this, they hope to create a standard system that many different types of vehicles can use, from small delivery robots to large buses.
What This Means Going Forward
The move to a paid service in Gangnam is a sign that self-driving cars are becoming a real business. In the coming years, we can expect to see these services expand to other parts of Seoul and other cities. The focus will likely shift from "can the car drive?" to "how can we make it cheaper and more efficient?" Kakao Mobility will continue to test its machine learning models to make sure they can handle bad weather and heavy traffic. The goal is to make self-driving taxis a normal part of the Kakao T app, sitting right next to regular taxi and bus options.
Final Take
Kakao Mobility is moving past the experimental stage and into the real world. By combining advanced software with a clear plan for safety and industry partnerships, they are setting a high bar for autonomous transport. The success of the Gangnam pilot shows that the technology is ready for public use. As physical AI becomes more common, the way we think about car ownership and city travel will likely change forever. The focus is now on making these high-tech rides a standard part of daily life for everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Level 4 autonomous driving?
Level 4 means the car can drive itself without any help from a human in specific areas. The passenger does not need to pay attention to the road while the car is moving in these zones.
Is the self-driving taxi service in Seoul safe?
Yes, according to data from the Seoul government, the service in Gangnam had over 7,700 trips with no accidents caused by the technology. The cars also have a 24-hour control center watching over them.
How do I catch a self-driving taxi in Korea?
Users can book a ride through the Kakao T app. It is listed alongside regular taxis. The service recently moved from being free to a paid model as it became a permanent part of the city's transport system.
