Rideflux, the only company in Korea conducting Level 4 autonomous driving trials, is on the verge of achieving fully driverless operation. As the government solidifies its support for autonomous driving, startups are accelerating their technology development.
According to the mobility industry on Sunday, autonomous driving software startup Rideflux recently applied to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport for a temporary operation permit for fully unmanned autonomous driving. Rideflux received a conditional unmanned autonomous driving permit from the ministry in 2024 and began trials in November of that year. Rideflux is the only company in Korea to receive government approval for unmanned autonomous operation. However, as it was a conditional permit, the company has been conducting what is essentially "manned autonomous driving" with safety managers in the driver's and passenger's seats.
Rideflux determined that its technology safety has improved enough to enable unmanned autonomous driving and proceeded with this application. When granting the 2024 permit, the ministry stated it would ultimately allow unmanned driving once safety was secured after manned autonomous driving trials. Following government guidelines, Rideflux's Level 4 autonomous vehicles have accumulated approximately 2,600 hours of driving time on the Sangam pilot operation district route in Seoul, covering about 3.2 kilometers. The company also achieved a zero-accident record.
The ministry and Rideflux are currently coordinating the schedule for safety assessments for final unmanned autonomous driving approval. If Rideflux passes this review, it will be able to conduct unmanned autonomous driving with remote intervention capabilities within designated operational areas like Sangam. Unlike current requirements for safety managers to be on board, the level of autonomous driving trials will advance one step further.
"Even if approval is granted, we will continue safe trials with safety personnel in the back seat for the time being," a Rideflux official said. "We also plan to expand the route to enhance our technology."
Meanwhile, the government will begin accepting applications from technology companies on Monday to participate in the autonomous driving pilot city development project targeting Gwangju Metropolitan City. Industry observers see high likelihood that major startups including Rideflux and Autonomous A to Z will apply. The government plans to separately select automakers, platform companies, and insurers to participate in the project and establish cooperative models.