[Report] Rainy Night Visibility No Challenge... Kakao's Driverless Taxi Lights Up Gangnam Nights

Test Drive of Kakao Mobility's Autonomous Taxi
Available for Ride-Hailing in Gangnam, Seoul During Late-Night Hours
Stable Operation Even in Rainy Weather
Handles Lane Changes, Right Turns, and U-Turns Smoothly

At 10 p.m. on the night of March 30, near Maebong Station in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, a new option called "Seoul Autonomous Vehicle" appeared in the KakaoT app when setting a nearby movie theater as the destination—something that had not been seen before. After summoning the Seoul Autonomous Vehicle, the self-driving taxi that arrived shortly after stood out with unique structures on the roof and cylindrical sensors attached to the sides.

Kakao Mobility is currently operating two autonomous taxis based on Kia's EV6 electric vehicle in the Gangnam-gu area through its "Gangnam Late Night Seoul Autonomous Vehicle" service. The standout feature is that not only the AI solutions for autonomous driving but also the hardware such as sensors have all been developed in-house.

Autonomous taxi Seoul Autonomous Vehicle operated by Kakao Mobility. Photo by Myunghwan Lee

The exterior of the vehicle is equipped with five LiDAR sensors and seven cameras, enabling real-time recognition of driving conditions. It identifies the movement of other vehicles, pedestrians, and even structures near the road. The interior is not much different from a regular taxi, but a monitor is installed on the passenger seat that displays information such as the surrounding environment detected by the sensors, the vehicle’s route, speed, and whether it is in autonomous mode. There is also a large screen in the driver's seat, showing real-time visuals of the area around the vehicle as detected by the sensors.

The ride was stable. Despite it being nighttime and raining, which limited visibility, the vehicle drove smoothly without interruption. There was no sudden acceleration, abrupt braking, or sharp lane changes, allowing for a comfortable ride. A Kakao Mobility manager sits in the driver's seat to respond to potential emergencies or malfunctions, but rarely needs to intervene in the driving.

Visualization device installed on the passenger seat of Kakao Mobility’s Seoul self-driving car. Kakao Mobility

A Seoul Autonomous Car, a self-driving taxi operated by Kakao Mobility, making a U-turn. Photo by Myunghwan Lee

The taxi also accurately recognized traffic signals. It received real-time signal information through the installed cameras and the Seoul TOPIS (Transport Operation & Information Service). Even during right turns or U-turns, the vehicle checked for illuminated pedestrian signals and the presence of pedestrians before moving. A Kakao Mobility official explained, "Above all, pedestrian safety is the most important priority," adding, "Even when pedestrians violate signals, the vehicle recognizes them and stops."

Sensing and decision-making while driving is powered by artificial intelligence (AI) technology. The "AI Planner," which acts as the brain of the autonomous car, analyzes road and unexpected conditions in real time through the sensors to determine driving direction. In addition, the "rule-based planner" helps ensure safety principles are followed, such as stopping at traffic lights or maintaining safe distances. Data accumulated during driving is also used to further advance the AI Planner.

The screen showing a ride in a Seoul autonomous vehicle summoned through the KakaoT app. Screenshot from the KakaoT app

User feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. For two weeks following the launch of the service (March 16–26), every passenger who rated the autonomous taxi service gave it a full five stars. Passengers praised the stable driving and smooth lane changes in their reviews.

Kim Minseon, Head of Autonomous Driving Business Team at Kakao Mobility, said, "We have developed everything from the data pipeline to perception and prediction driving algorithms with our own technology. We will secure the technological capabilities to compete with global big tech and collaborate with various domestic companies to build the autonomous driving ecosystem."

Kakao Mobility's Gangnam Late Night Seoul Autonomous Vehicle operates in the Gangnam-gu autonomous driving pilot zone during weekday late-night hours (10 p.m. to 5 a.m. the next day). The service is currently free, but according to Seoul City policy, it will be converted to a paid service sometime in April.

Users can request a vehicle by selecting the "Seoul Autonomous Vehicle" icon on the "View All" screen within the KakaoT app, or by using the regular taxi request menu.

A Kakao Mobility autonomous taxi operated by Kakao Mobility is seen moving. Kakao Mobility

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