Universities and Research Organizations Develop These Cars with Hyundai Cars…Drones Will Also be Flying in Group with Self-Driving Cars
For the first time in South Korea, self-driving cars will be driven through Han River and on regular streets in middle of this month. This is the first time when self-driving cars are driven through cities’ streets instead of on test roads. Self-driving cars will perform 7 tasks with help from industries, universities, and institutes and they are also performing tasks with drones that are flying in group.
According to industries, Ministry of Science, ICP and Future Planning (MSIP) is holding ‘Future Driving-Force Challenge Parade’, where self-driving cars are driven on streets and drones are flying through cities’ sky, on 22nd and 29th. During this parade, 7 self-driving cars that are developed by universities and research institutions are participating. Cars are provided by Hyundai Motors and they were verified of their performance at Hyundai Motors’ Self-Driving Exposition. MSIP, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT), and Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) are co-hosting this parade, and Hyundai Motors and LG Uplus are supporting this parade.
Streets that self-driving cars will be driven are about 5 km in distance from north of Yeongdong Bridge to KOEX. After entering Yeongdong Street by going through Yeongdong Bridge, they will be driven by sensing variety of obstacles in middle of cities and traffic conditions.
They need to overcome cities’ traffic conditions. They will be driven through cities by sensing traffic conditions on their own and will be driven for about 10 minutes in a span of 3 minutes from each other.
All of participating cars are performing same 6 tasks such as recognizing speed limit signs, recognizing and maintaining streets, recognizing street lights, changing streets and boarding passengers, recognizing pedestrians and stopping, and avoiding stopped vehicles. Self-driving cars from 5 organizations such as Kookmin University, KAIST, Seoul National University and others will also perform separate missions.
Besides self-driving function, these 5 organizations will also show high-tech technologies such as chasing drones, recognizing hand signals, recognizing cellphone holders, yielding emergency vehicles, and Traffic Jam Assist (TJA). All of preceding technologies that South Korean industries, universities, and institutions have been accumulating are put into these joint and free tasks. Not only 3 self-driving technologies such as recognition, control, and positioning are included, but all of car communication technologies are also put into these self-driving cars.
LTE drones will also be brought to this event. Not only one can see a demonstration of drones’ flights, but one will also be able to see how drones and self-driving cars are mutually pursuing each other. Videos that are recorded by drones will be sent through LTE and broadcasted in real-time through a LED screen in front of KOEX. South Korean Government will also demonstrate how self-driving cars are automatically parking and leaving parking lot at ‘Creative Economy EXPO’ that will be held at KOEX from the 26th to 29th.
“It is an event that was prepared to show new future technologies along with Creative Economy EXPO. It will be a place where it shows a direction where future technologies are heading and how world will be changed in the future.” said one person in this industry.
Staff Reporter Song, Joonyoung | songjy@etnews.com