South Korea’s National Assembly approved amendments to the Act on Promotion and Support for Commercialization of Autonomous Vehicles during Thursday’s plenary session.
The key revision allows automakers and other entities with vehicles under temporary driving permits to use video data collected from autonomous vehicles for performance and safety improvements in R&D without requiring anonymization or pseudonymization.
Previously, operators were required to blur or anonymize personal information — such as faces and license plates — before using video footage in development, a requirement that slowed the data pipeline for training autonomous driving systems.
The decision comes as South Korea continues to expand its role as a testing ground for autonomous driving technology, supporting domestic brands like Kia and Hyundai as well as international ones such as Tesla.
How the Law Has Evolved
The Act on Promotion and Support for Commercialization of Autonomous Vehicles was first proposed by the Chair of the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee in April 2019 to provide legal support and incentives for AV technology development and commercialization.
It was officially promulgated in July 2021, establishing the basic regulatory framework, including rules for designated autonomous vehicle testing zones and certification systems to support connected and cooperative driving infrastructure.
In March 2024, the National Assembly passed a further revision of the Act, expanding the regulations to better prepare for Level 4 automation and commercial deployment.
That revision officially took effect last March.
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) announced a legislative notice for a partial amendment to the Act, collecting public opinions until Thursday.
The latest revision introduced performance certification and conformity approval procedures for AVs pending finalized safety standards.
South Korea’s AV Industry
South Korea has moved aggressively to build out its autonomous vehicle sector. As of January, the country has 42 AV start-ups, including 42dot, AutoCrypt, bitsensing, StradVision, and RideFlux, according to Tracxn.
Hyundai introduced an autonomous ride-hailing service in 2022 using a fleet of its fully electric Ioniq models after acquiring 42dot, although it ended up focusing on partnerships with Chinese companies and working on software expansion in the United States.
The Autonomous A2Z’s ROii model was launched last March, becoming one of the first autonomous vehicles operating in South Korea.
In June, Kia unveiled a battery electric purpose-built vehicle (PBV) in its domestic market, signing a partnership with Autonomous A2Z to manufacture Level 4 AVs two months later.
Also last year, the Seoul metropolitan government launched a fleet of KG Mobility’s Korando SUVs with Level 3 autonomy, operated by designated drivers.
Tesla‘s Full Self-Driving (FSD) Supervised software was introduced in South Korea last November and was tested by the Korea Expressway Corporation, as reported by EV last month.
The authority evaluated the system on December 15, covering both urban roads and the Gyeongbu Expressway. National Assembly member Lee So-young was among those who tested the software.
The corporation described FSD’s performance as “excellent” overall on the highway but noted issues in some of its driving modes.
Separate EV Testing Rule
Separately, the South Korean government published on Tuesday an update to the Regulation on Testing and Inspection and Related Procedures for Manufactured Motor Vehicles.
The revised procedure will now include low-temperature single-charge driving range testing for electric vehicles.
It applies to electric passenger vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 3.5 tons or more, with large vehicles generally tested under Appendix 5-6.
Articulated buses, double-deckers, and certain large cargo units that cannot be tested on a chassis dynamometer must undergo on-road constant-speed testing at 73 km/h (45 mph) in accordance with KS R 1135.
