SWM.ai Joins 'M.AX Alliance'... Expanding Robo-Taxi Ecosystem with Gangnam Demonstration Experience

Kim Ki-hyuk, CEO of SWM.ai, explains the robocar technology to Minister Kim Jung-kwan of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (left) ahead of the official test drive of the downtown Gangnam robocars. Provided by SWM.ai

Robo-taxi technology company SWM has announced its participation in domestic robo-taxi demonstration projects and the development of a data ecosystem, leveraging its autonomous driving experience accumulated in the Gangnam downtown area.

On September 30, SWM attended the "Future Mobility Ecosystem Cooperation Event" held at Hyundai Mobis headquarters in Yeoksam-dong, Seoul, where it signed a "business agreement for robo-taxi demonstration and data ecosystem development." This agreement is part of the activities of the "M.AX Alliance," which aims to commercialize unmanned robo-taxis.

The core of the agreement is the establishment of a real-road learning data infrastructure that can be used in the process of advancing unmanned autonomous driving technology and verifying safety. The focus is also on establishing an environment where the demonstration results and data from different autonomous vehicles can be utilized and on building a collaborative system necessary for transitioning to the future mobility industry.

SWM has developed robo-taxi technology that allows vehicles to travel to a designated destination within a set downtown area in response to user calls, rather than simply operating repeatedly on fixed routes. In September 2024, SWM launched its robo-taxi service for the general public in Gangnam, Seoul. In August of the same year, the company expanded its autonomous vehicle fleet to respond to increasing service demand and to enhance operations.

This hands-on experience operating vehicles in a real urban environment will also be applied to the demonstration and data collaboration efforts led by the M.AX Alliance. SWM intends to use the data accumulated from its operations in Gangnam to advance its autonomous driving software and AI technologies, while also expanding collaboration with participating organizations.

In addition to technology development, on-road testing, data utilization, and the discovery of related support projects will also be promoted, creating opportunities to build a broader cooperative foundation by linking the capabilities of all participating stakeholders.

Relevant support agencies are also participating in the alliance. The Korea Automotive Technology Institute, the Intelligent Automotive Parts Promotion Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology Planning and Evaluation, and Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology will support technology consulting for unmanned autonomous driving safety assessments, real-road scenario reproduction tests, infrastructure development for data storage, and the identification of government-backed projects.

Minister Kim Jungkwan of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy departing aboard SWM.ai's robotaxi for an autonomous driving test ride around the Gangnam area. Provided by SWM.ai

On this day, Minister Kim Jungkwan of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy boarded an SWM robo-taxi operating in Gangnam and personally experienced its autonomous driving technology. After the test ride, Minister Kim commented, "I feel that the level of technology in Korea has advanced significantly, and I believe we can keep pace. If we focus on our individual strengths and collaborate, I am confident that Korea can secure robo-taxi technology."

SWM CEO Kim Ki-hyuk stated, "We need to develop our technology and real-world experience into an industrial model called 'K-RoboTaxi' and take it to the global market. If the government can support overseas demonstration, certification, and commercialization, it will be a great help in competing on the global stage."

He added, "SWM will do its utmost to fully commercialize unmanned robo-taxis and expand into the global market, building on the experience and technology accumulated in Gangnam."

With its participation in the M.AX Alliance, SWM plans to utilize the data accumulated from real road operations in areas such as Gangnam for autonomous driving technology development and contribute to industry collaboration for robo-taxi demonstration and data sharing. Through these efforts, the company aims to continue developing technology to commercialize unmanned autonomous driving and expand the domestic robo-taxi ecosystem.

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