Govt. to improve regulations for commercial adoption of self-driving cars

The government unveiled a revised road map on improving regulations for self-driving cars Thursday to hasten their commercial adoption starting next year.

The road map, confirmed at an interagency government meeting earlier in the day, came as South Korea is expected to see a fast adoption of autonomous driving for commercial vehicles beginning in 2022, starting with the launch of Level 3 self-driving cars -- made for conditional driving automation that requires human intervention.

The government expects Level 4 autonomous vehicles, capable of high automation with little need for human input, to be widely adopted in the country by 2027.

Under the road map, the government will take a phased approach by adding and upgrading regulations and laws related to technology, communications and insurance in steps in order to meet the standards and structure associated with operating autonomous vehicles, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

Over the next two years, the government will start allowing self-driving software to be upgraded wirelessly outside of maintenance stores, as well as upgrading the authentication process to enhance overall security systems.

Between 2024 and 2026, the government will focus on devising a legal framework for Level 4 self-driving vehicles in terms of insurance policy and traffic systems so as to provide clear standards for legal responsibilities.

The land ministry will also apply "a regulation sandbox," or a grace period on regulations, to the mobility sector in order to support autonomous driving in the passenger and freight sectors.

According to the ministry, detailed action plans for regulation improvements will be announced in the first half of next year. (Yonhap)