Self-Driving Car Drives Through a Street with Minister of Ministry of Science, ICP and Future Planning on Board

‘Run, safely! Rise, higher!’

For the first time in South Korea, Minister Choi Yang Hee of Ministry of Science, ICP and Future Planning (MSIP) test drove a self-driving car that drove through streets in Gangnam. 

This is the first time when a demonstration of a self-driving car driving through an actual street actually took place in South Korea. Minister Choi rode self-driving Genesis, which was made by Hyundai, at 9:30 A.M. on the 22nd and drove about 1.5 km from Seoul Gyeonggi High School to East Gate of KOEX in Samsung-dong.

“I was so moved about how cars can develop in such a way.” said Minister Choi after a ride. “Related industries are paradigms are quickly changing, and we cannot fall back but rather be in front by changing our systems and cultures.”

Fact that Minister Choi himself test drove a self-driving car indicates that South Korean Government has signaled a flare for deregulations and revival in this industry. 

“Because vehicles, which used to be just a method of transportation, are now becoming smarter, we all need to work together in order for self-driving cars to be on actual streets.” said Minister Choi. “We are currently preparing for this industry to take place in South Korea by having systems, development manpower, infrastructures, and R&D working together.”

At “Future Driving Force Challenge Parade Event’ that took place on the 23rd, self-driving cars and drones (unmanned aerial vehicle) performed 15 missions on Yeongdong Street and at Marado Island. Self-driving cars and drones are part of 19 future driving forces that are chosen by South Korean Government.

Drones that are for saving people’s lives demonstrated scenes of throwing rescue tubes in ocean and showed a technology of flying in a group outdoor for the first time in South Korea.

“Public and South Korean Government are working together with an urgent mindset that we cannot lose these driving forces as major future driving industries.” said Minister Choi. “We announced comprehensive plan that combines R&D, training and others, and it can be seen that we just took a first step towards this plan.”

As South Korean Government demonstrated technologies that were performed by industries, universities, and institute in laboratories on scene, it has prepared an opportunity to accelerate commercialization of these technologies. 

MSIP is planning to find systematic difficulties and improve and deregulate through cooperation between relevant government departments. 

There was a time in the past when South Korean Government made an announcement of its plan that it will invest about $34.5 million (40 billion KRW) into self-driving cars, which is a future driving force, per every year until 2022 and about $11.2 million (13 billion KRW) into drones until 2023.

 Staff Reporter Song, Hyeyoung | [email protected]