Kakao Mobility Acquires HD Map Technology Company 'Strees'... "Integrating HD Maps into KakaoT"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Nahum] Kakao Mobility announced on the 11th that it has acquired Stress, a high-definition map (HD map) technology company. The plan is to complete the merger within this year and accelerate technological innovation through organizational integration.

Stress is a technology startup founded in 2017 by experts in surveying, positioning, electrical and electronics, robotics, and computer vision. Its strength lies in performing the entire HD map construction process, including ▲road information collection ▲data processing and alignment ▲high-definition map drafting ▲customized optimization according to usage types.

It has also secured localization solution capabilities that can be quickly applied overseas, and holds the largest track record in the domestic HD map construction field through collaboration with major government agencies and large corporations in Korea.

HD maps are maps constructed as three-dimensional stereoscopic images of road information at centimeter-level precision. Unlike conventional digital maps (SD maps), they implement lane markings, road surface marks, road slopes, and signboards, making them core technologies in future mobility fields requiring precise positioning such as autonomous driving, platooning, and UAM. They are essential not only in mobility but also in fields requiring three-dimensional spatial information such as robotics, smart factories, digital twins, and the metaverse.

With this collaboration, Kakao Mobility will be able to integrate HD map technology into mobility technologies such as navigation and routing, which have been advanced through the Kakao T platform. The company explains that this will enable innovation in mobility services based on highly accurate and up-to-date information.

Additionally, Kakao Mobility plans to provide advanced HD map infrastructure environments to partners of the recently launched ‘KM Autonomous Driving Alliance’ and support the long-term expansion of technological scope into various location-based businesses utilizing HD maps. It is expected to offer stable technological capability pathways to startups, academia, and research institutions.

Jang Sungwook, Executive Director of Future Business at Kakao Mobility, stated, "We will continuously advance the HD map infrastructure to build an infrastructure that can contribute to innovation across the spatial information business, including the domestic autonomous driving ecosystem, and seek cooperation opportunities with global companies."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.