Kia Partners with Kakao Mobility to Develop PBVs Dedicated to Autonomous Driving Services
Aiming to Expand the PBV-Based Autonomous Driving Ecosystem
Kia and Kakao Mobility are collaborating to develop purpose-built vehicles (PBVs) optimized for autonomous driving.
On July 16, at its Yangjae headquarters, Kia signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Kakao Mobility for the development of PBVs dedicated to autonomous driving services. Key participants included Sangdae Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of the PBV Business Division at Kia; Jihan Yoo, Executive Vice President in charge of the SDV Platform; Jingyu Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of Physical AI at Kakao Mobility; and Kyujin An, Executive Vice President overseeing business operations, among other major stakeholders.
The purpose of this business agreement is to combine Kia's PBV development capabilities with Kakao Mobility's competitive edge in autonomous driving technology in order to further expand the PBV-based autonomous driving ecosystem. The two companies plan to work together on several areas, including: the development and supply of PBVs dedicated to autonomous driving services, as well as joint development and demonstration of service operation technologies.
Specifically, within this year, Kia will supply PV5 vehicles equipped with DevKits to support Kakao Mobility's autonomous driving pilot project.
The DevKit is a device that helps integrate external in-vehicle control software and interfaces among vehicles, enabling autonomous driving and remote operation service providers to control vehicles more safely.
Kia plans to gradually expand the supply of mass-produced PBVs based on the results of this pilot project and on business planning. Both companies intend to jointly develop PBVs dedicated to autonomous driving services that are optimized for commercial use, utilizing the operational data accumulated during the pilot program.
Additionally, the two companies will jointly develop and validate a range of operational technologies to enhance the stability and efficiency of autonomous services. These include Remote Vehicle Assistant (RVA) within garages, wireless charging, and interior and exterior vehicle displays for unmanned communication.
Kia expects that, through this agreement with Kakao Mobility, it will be able to build a collaborative system that covers everything from vehicle development to service operation, and continuously strengthen its competitiveness in autonomous driving services.
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Sangdae Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of the PBV Business Division at Kia, commented, "We hope that our collaboration with Kakao Mobility will allow Kia PBVs to stimulate the autonomous vehicle market and create new value for customers. Going forward, we will continue to collaborate with various partners to lead the future mobility market as a customized mobility solution provider."
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