Comprehensive mobility corporations Humax Mobility said on the 6th that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) last month with Futurelink and Konatus to push forward a robotaxi business for Autonomous Driving.
Humax Mobility said, "This agreement was prepared to proactively build a future mobility environment in line with advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and Autonomous Driving technology." The three companies plan to work closely across all areas, from technology development to business operations and infrastructure, to secure a first-mover advantage by commercializing level 4 fully Autonomous Driving in 2027.
Humax Mobility's nationwide network of about 1,300 parking lots and 3,300 electric-vehicle charging stations will be used as charging and maintenance bases for robotaxis. On top of that, Futurelink's Autonomous Driving capabilities and Konatus' taxi operation know-how will be combined to build an integrated mobility ecosystem.
Under the agreement, the three companies will pursue: ▲ phased expansion of robotaxi services in major cities nationwide ▲ joint promotion of robotaxi businesses with local governments and public institutions ▲ linking Autonomous Driving technology with taxi-hailing platforms ▲ optimization of dispatch systems and algorithms ▲ joint use of parking and charging infrastructure ▲ integration of maintenance networks and vehicle management systems ▲ discovery of new businesses and joint proposals.
Humax Mobility will provide operating experience in mobility services accumulated under the "Turu" brands, including "Turu Parking (parking)," "Turu Charger (EV charging)," and "Turu Car (car-sharing). In particular, by using the AI-based "Mobility Hub Platform (MHP)" and "Ai-PAS" technology, it will support real-time fleet management for robotaxis and optimization of charging infrastructure.
Futurelink has completed more than 40,000 kilometers of accident-free demonstrations in the Gangnam area with vehicles equipped with Pony.ai's Autonomous Driving development kit (ADK). Based on level 4 fully Autonomous Driving technology, it will operate robotaxi services and plans to expand service to major metropolitan areas, including Seoul, Gyeonggi and Busan. Konatus will take charge of practical operational strategies in the robotaxi commercialization process, drawing on field experience gained by operating its own taxi platform and "Turu Taxi."
Chief Executive Jeong Seong-min of Humax Mobility emphasized, "With this cooperation, we will accelerate the commercialization of Autonomous Driving robotaxis in Korea and lead innovation in the mobility industry."