Tesla‘s Full-Self Driving (FSD) software, launched in South Korea in late November, was successfully tested by the country’s Korea Expressway Corporation.
The institution is responsible for managing toll roads in South Korea, under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.
The authority conducted the test on December 15, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., covering both urban roads and the Gyeongbu Expressway.
On the highway, the software’s performance was considered overall “excellent,” with the authority noting that “work-zone avoidance was generally adequate.”
However, “the system seemed to follow traffic flow rather than actively detecting work-zone signs,” which were otherwise “handled successfully” in urban areas.
The institution stated that “autonomous driving was possible at levels equal to or above that of an average human driver” in urban roads, though there were exceptions in some sections, such as unprotected left turns.
The software, available in South Korea in Version 14, was tested in all driving modes — ‘Sloth’, ‘Comfort’, ‘Fast’, and ‘Mad Max’ — in addition to the ‘Standard’ driving mode.
According to the Expressway Corporation, “violations of traffic laws were frequently observed” when in ‘Fast’ and ‘Mad Max’ modes, including exceeding speed limits and entering bus-only lanes.
Just days after its launch in mid-October, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) questioned the company on the ‘Mad Max’ mode, after several drivers shared on social media that the software ignored speed limits.
FSD Launch
In South Korea, the software rolled out for Model S and Model X vehicles only, which excludes the more affordable Model 3 and Model Y.
Under the South Korea-US Free Trade Agreement, a quota of US-built cars can enter the market using US safety standards, avoiding certain certification barriers that apply to several other imports.
Because the Model 3 and Model Y sold in Korea are imported from Giga Shanghai, additional regulatory requirements may be delaying their approval.
It’s still uncertain when FSD will become available for these vehicles.
However, Tesla expanded it to the Cybertruck last month, as previously announced. Deliveries of the truck in the Asian country began in late November.
According to the Korea Expressway Corporation, about 900 Tesla vehicles in the total 50,000 in the country are capable of using FSD.
Autonomous Driving in South Korea
South Korea is becoming a testing ground for autonomous driving technology, with several companies integrating self-driving vehicles into ride-hailing services.
In June, the Seoul metropolitan government launched a fleet of KG Mobility’s Korando SUVs with Level 3 autonomy, operated by designated drivers — similar to Tesla‘s Robotaxi service in the US.
Hyundai also introduced an autonomous ride-hailing service in 2022, using a fleet of Ioniq vehicles following its acquisition of the autonomous vehicle start-up 42dot.
However, the project has stalled as the company focuses on partnerships with Chinese companies and works on the software expansion in the US.
Lee So-young, a member of the Democratic Party on the South Korean National Assembly, who has been working to secure national support for the autonomous driving sector, tested Tesla’s FSD in mid-December.
“Even I, with my license gathering dust in a drawer, don’t see much reason to learn to drive a manual anymore,” she said.
Recently, the Democratic Party successfully “expanded the autonomous driving sector budget to approximately 122.9 billion won” for next year — equivalent to $83.3 billion.
