AUTONOMOUS A2Z secured AV
approval in Singapore and proved global scalability by adapting to right-hand
drive through K-City testing.
Singapore, May 9, 2025 — AUTONOMOUS A2Z,
South Korea’s leading autonomous driving technology firm led by CEO Ji-hyeong
Han, announced today that it has successfully obtained the Milestone 1 (M1)
Vehicle Safety Assessment approval from Singapore’s Land Transport Authority
(LTA). This achievement marks AUTONOMOUS A2Z as the first Korean company
authorized to operate autonomous vehicles (AVs) on public roads in Singapore
under specific designated conditions.
In Singapore, autonomous vehicles must
pass rigorous Milestone 1 (M1) safety assessments administered by the Centre of
Excellence for Testing and Research of Autonomous Vehicles (CETRAN) AV Test
Centre, developed in collaboration with LTA and the Traffic Police. These
assessments ensure AVs, including Class 3, Class 4, and Autonomous Emergency
Service Vehicles (AESVs), adhere to Singapore’s stringent safety and
performance standards before operating on public roads.
AUTONOMOUS A2Z achieved this landmark
approval due to its extensive operational experience developed through
significant autonomous vehicle testing in complex urban settings across South
Korea. The company is currently the leading AV company with the most number of
AV permits from a single company and accumulating over 620,000 kilometers in
real-world autonomous driving—representing the highest cumulative autonomous
driving distance recorded in the country.
This milestone is particularly notable
given that AUTONOMOUS A2Z transitioned successfully from South Korea’s
left-hand driving infrastructure to Singapore’s right-hand driving environment,
demonstrating exceptional technical adaptability and international scalability.
Despite lacking right-hand traffic conditions domestically, the company
proactively developed and validated its autonomous driving software for
right-hand drive operations using K-City, a dedicated government-supported test
facility managed by the Korea Transportation Safety Authority (KATRI). This
process involved reconfiguring core perception algorithms, sensor
configurations, and decision-making logic to adapt to right-hand driving
standards.
The M1 assessment approval was
facilitated through Autonomous2Global Innovations (A2G), AUTONOMOUS A2Z’s local
joint venture established in partnership with KILSA Global in Singapore. A2G
played a crucial role in addressing Singapore’s requirements for the AV
authorisation criteria.
Building on this achievement, AUTONOMOUS
A2Z plans to expand the international deployment of its Level 4 autonomous
shuttle, ROii, and actively pursue additional AV pilot initiatives and
commercial projects in Singapore. The company is also looking to extend its
validated right-hand drive autonomous software stack to other markets with
similar driving environments, including Japan.
"Securing Singapore’s AV
Authorisation approval is a significant validation of AUTONOMOUS A2Z’s
technological capability and scalability on the global stage," said CEO
Ji-hyeong Han. "We remain committed to advancing innovation and contributing
significantly to Korea’s leadership in the global autonomous vehicle
industry."
In 2024, AUTONOMOUS A2Z established
Autonomous2Global Innovations (A2G), a strategic joint venture with KILSA
Global in Singapore. Through A2G, the company delivered a key work package for
COSMO, a government-led R&D smart mobility initiative. Additionally, the
company deployed its LiDAR Infrastructure System (LIS) at CETRAN, further
underscoring its commitment to advancing autonomous vehicle infrastructure. In
the Middle East, AUTONOMOUS A2Z is finalizing preparations for the launch of
A2D, a joint venture with Space42, the mobility subsidiary of G42—UAE’s premier
AI conglomerate and former operator of Bayanat. This initiative represents the
first Korean-led autonomous driving joint venture in the Middle East and North
Africa (MENA) region.
About
AUTONOMOUS A2Z
Founded in 2018 by Ji-hyeong Han and
three fellow autonomous driving engineers formerly with Hyundai Motor Company,
AUTONOMOUS A2Z is South Korea’s leading autonomous driving solution provider.
The company currently operates the nation’s largest fleet ofautonomous vehicles
and holds the longest cumulative autonomous driving record in urban
environments, having driven over 620,000 kilometers on public roads as of March
2025. Building on this foundation, AUTONOMOUS A2Z is developing a range of
future mobility services, including urban autonomous shuttles and smart
logistics transportation solutions, with a focus on safe and efficient
commercialization of autonomous driving technology.
<Media
Contact>
Email: martinkim3147@autoa2z.co.kr
Company:
AUTONOMOUS A2Z
Contact: Hyunwoo Kim
Site: https://www.autoa2z.ai/
Country: South Korea