Gov't allows self-driving freight truck trial operations on all highways

Trial operations of self-driving freight trucks can now be conducted on all highways in Korea, which could lead to the start of long-haul autonomous commercial logistics services nationwide in the future, the government said Wednesday.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said it has expanded the country's designated autonomous freight truck driving pilot zones from the previous four highway sections totaling 332 kilometers to all 44 highway routes spanning 5,224 kilometers.

In December, the ministry designated the four sections of the Gyeongbu Expressway as pilot zones to establish a foundation for commercializing autonomous freight transportation.

Following initial testing, the autonomous driving industry requested an expansion of routes to accommodate evolving traffic conditions and logistics demands.

"Unlike regular roads, highways have continuous traffic roads without pedestrians or traffic signals, making self-driving conditions relatively consistent across different sections," the ministry said in response to safety concerns.

The ministry further added that authorities determined applying self-driving freight truck operations to all highway sections would not pose significant issues considering the Korea Express Corp.'s highway safety management capability.

According to the ministry, related authorities plan to establish an interagency framework for rapid response to self-driving vehicle accidents to address potential incidents involving autonomous vehicles on highways. (Yonhap)