Rideflux, an autonomous driving software startup, announced Wednesday that it has become the first company in Korea to obtain a "paid freight transport permit for autonomous vehicles" from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport for long-distance routes including urban roads.
Rideflux received a "pass" rating on all 13 safety items through more than 60 days of preliminary operations and load testing with 11-ton cargo, confirming its safety credentials.
Based on this permit, Rideflux plans to launch commercial freight transport using autonomous driving technology on a 112-kilometer route connecting the Dongnam Logistics Complex in Songpa, Seoul, and a logistics center in Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province. The company aims to sign regular transport contracts with logistics companies in the first half of this year and begin paid freight transport services carrying parcel shipments on this route.
In March, Rideflux released footage of a "fully intervention-free" drive, in which a 25-ton heavy-duty robotruck loaded with 11 tons of cargo completed the Seoul-Jincheon route without a single manual intervention. This demonstrated the technical maturity of "hub-to-hub" logistics services by successfully applying advanced Level 4 autonomous driving software technology—accumulated through robotaxi demonstrations—to middle-mile freight transport operations. Middle-mile transport refers to the method of connecting logistics hubs over medium to long distances, representing the stage before "last-mile" delivery directly to consumers.
For safety purposes, the paid transport service will operate with a safety operator on board. Leveraging its position as the only company in Korea with an unmanned test driving permit, Rideflux plans to begin full-scale unmanned operations between logistics hubs in 2027, pursuing a phased transition to "fully unmanned autonomous driving."
Additionally, the company plans to expand its service area nationwide within the year. The goal is to secure a sustainable revenue structure by launching paid freight transport services on the Gunsan Port-Jeonju-Daejeon route as well as in Gangneung and Jeju.
"This paid transport permit signifies that Rideflux's autonomous driving technology has moved beyond the mere research stage onto a commercialization trajectory that creates real business value," said Park Joong-hee, CEO of Rideflux. "We will prove profitability through innovation in the middle-mile market and use this as a springboard to achieve a successful IPO this year."
Rideflux has raised more than 88 billion won in cumulative investment to date and plans to complete a technology-based special listing on the KOSDAQ market by the end of this year, following a technology evaluation in the first half.
