"Autonomous Driving is usually applied where lanes and signals are clear. WearableAI envisions a future where Autonomous Driving technology is integrated even in places where 'road rules' do not apply."
Baek Doo-san, founder and CEO of WearableAI, said this in an interview with ChosunBiz on Jan. 8 (local time) at the site of CES 2026, the world's largest IT and home appliance show, in Las Vegas. Aiming to "create an environment where you can move anywhere" (where + able), Baek founded the special-purpose mobility (SPM) development startup WearableAI in Jan. 2024.
Just four months after launching the business, it formed a consortium with hy Mobility and ATEC Mobility and won a project to introduce Autonomous Driving transport vehicles at Incheon International Airport. Ten four-seat indoor Autonomous Driving vehicles equipped with WearableAI solutions are currently running throughout Terminal 2 at Incheon Airport. The revenue from this project is about 1.4 billion won. It raised 2 billion won in seed funding with participation from Quad Ventures, Naver D2SF, and Pohang University of Science and Technology POSTECH Holdings.
WearableAI aims to launch the indoor Autonomous Driving shuttle "linq" in the first half of the year. It is preparing proofs of concept (PoC) with multiple airports around the world for the adoption of linq. The product won Innovation Awards at CES 2026 in the "smart community" and "accessibility and sustainability" categories.
Baek said, "Rather than stopping at developing research-level Autonomous Driving algorithms, I think leveraging hands-on field experience to present technology ready for commercialization through simultaneous hardware and software design led to winning two Innovation Awards."
Baek is a key member who developed SNUVER, Korea's first urban Autonomous Driving service released at Seoul National University. After developing SNUVER, Baek spent about 10 years developing Autonomous Driving solutions at various companies in Korea and the United States. The founding team of WearableAI includes people who handled core technologies at Korea's first-generation Autonomous Driving startup ThorDrive.
WearableAI's target market is "SPM Autonomous Driving." Baek said, "We have a particular strength in Autonomous Driving vehicle technology operated for special purposes, such as airports, military bases, and logistics bases," adding, "SPM Autonomous Driving devices must move stably in environments where road rules, like lanes and signals, are unclear and where people, equipment, and cargo move in complex ways." Baek continued, "It's an area where you cannot simply apply urban or highway solutions that are entering commercialization," and said, "We determined there is an opportunity because it is difficult to apply existing solutions."
To achieve perfect Autonomous Driving even in environments without road rules, WearableAI developed artificial intelligence (AI) that enables vehicles to make their own decisions. Using end-to-end (E2E) Autonomous Driving technology, the vehicle recognizes its surroundings on its own in real time. The company is developing technology so the system can decide and respond autonomously even amid external changes. A key strength is that the AI function is embedded in the vehicle itself, not based on a data cloud.
Baek said, "This means infrastructure such as high-definition maps is not necessary," adding, "linq does not require infrastructure, so it can be applied on-site immediately, can respond 'without interruption' to changes in operating areas and environments, and demonstrates excellent maneuverability even in narrow, complex spaces."
The company plans to gradually expand applications beyond airports. Baek said, "We are developing a multipurpose Autonomous Driving purpose-built vehicle (PBV) platform that can transport personnel and cargo together with the Army Logistics Command," adding, "We will expand the application of the technology to industrial complexes, logistics hubs, and public facilities."
Baek sees the Autonomous Driving market entering an "inflection point." Baek said, "It has grown relying on rule-based and high-definition map technologies, but now development is moving toward E2E and mapless approaches," adding, "Those who quickly commercialize solutions that incorporate these changes and secure the market will be the winners."