Hanjin announced on the 9th that it will launch a paid freight transport service using autonomous trucks, based on cooperation with a government-funded research institute and an advanced autonomous driving technology company.
Hanjin has completed a demonstration project for 25-ton autonomous trucks and will begin full-scale paid transport operations. This marks the first such service in Korea. It will operate three times a week along a 118-kilometer route running from Gunsan Port in North Jeolla Province, through Hanjin's Jeonju parcel terminal, to the Daejeon mega hub. Although based on autonomous driving, a safety officer will be on board in the driver's seat to intervene in case of an emergency.
The launch of the paid autonomous truck transport service was carried out under the "Saemangeum Autonomous Transport Commercial Vehicle Demonstration Support Infrastructure Development Project" overseen by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Hanjin signed a memorandum of understanding with the Jeonbuk Institute of Automotive Technology (JIAT), the LX Spatial Information Research Institute, and the Korea Integrated Logistics Association in September 2023, and has been conducting the demonstration project since.
Through the project, Hanjin said it has secured a cutting-edge terminal system equipped with control and recognition equipment that allows autonomous trucks to independently perform processes ranging from entering the parcel terminal, waiting, and entering the unloading area. The company also expects that the autonomous driving-based transport data accumulated on actual roads and its multifaceted operational experience will become Hanjin's own unique assets.
"With this first commercial transport by autonomous trucks, we will further strengthen our responsiveness in the future logistics market, while accelerating smart logistics innovation through the field application of advanced technologies such as big data and AI," a Hanjin official said.
