Korea-France Joint Project
Renault Samsung Motors has became the third domestic car manufacturer to test a self-driving car on the public road, following Hyundai Motor and Ssangyong Motors.
On August 30, Renault Samsung announced that it has earned a permit by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to test its self-driving car on the public road.
Renault Samsung's self-driving car development project is a joint project between South Korea and France. The project aims to develop an entry-level self-driving system rather than a complicated and costly vehicle that is being developed by other car manufacturers. The “traffic jam assist,” which supports self-driving in a low-speed driving traffic jam situation without acceleration, deceleration or steering by a driver, is one example. For this system, the company will test functions such as lane, distance, and speed maintenance of a self-driving car with an entry-level sensor system such as side radar and camera at 50 km/h on a traffic jammed road.
Renault Samsung plans to conduct the test drives on Jungbu and Kyungbu highways, following those on the test driving tracks of the Korea Automotive Technology Institute and Korea Transportation Safety Authority. Through the tests on the actual public roads, the company will be verifying and enhancing the recognition system of lanes and vehicle traffics and the algorithm for driving support.
Meanwhile, Renault Samsung’s self-driving car development project is an electric car-based project started in 2016 with investment from both the Korean and French governments. Businesses, schools, and research organizations of the two countries have been participating in the project. In Korea, Hanynag University, LG Electronics, Control Works, the Korea Automotive Technology Institute, and Valeo Korea are participating.