Nearly a month after Tesla officially launched its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software in South Korea, a member of the National Assembly took a ride using the system, demonstrating the potential of driverless vehicles.
Lee So-young, a Democratic Party lawmaker who has been working to secure national support for the autonomous driving sector, shared her experience on X this Wednesday.
She tested Tesla‘s FSD in a Model S, driving through Seoul on a route that started at the National Assembly, passed Mangwon Market and Hongik University, and returned to the starting point.
“Having already ridden in an unmanned robotaxi, the novelty wasn’t as strong for me, but it drives just as well as most people do,” she noted, likely referring to a recent visit to China, where she experienced several driverless rides.
“It already feels like a completed technology, which gives me a lot to think about,” she added, teasing that “once it actually spreads into widespread use, I feel like our daily lives are going to change a lot.”
“Even I, with my license gathering dust in a drawer, don’t see much reason to learn to drive a manual anymore,” the member of the Parliament admitted.
FSD Launch in Korea
Reacting to the FSD launch in South Korea a few weeks ago, Lee had joked that she “was thinking about going to the US to experience Waymo‘s robotaxi and Tesla FSD, but it looks like I won’t need to go far.”
By then, the lawmaker said that, as the software was only supported in “a very small portion of the domestically imported models,” she was “not sure if I can find an owner to give me a ride…”
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 has already announced plans to expand the software to the Cybertruck before the end of the year.
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 SUVs with Level 3 autonomy, operated by designated drivers — similar to Tesla‘s Robotaxi service currently in Austin.
The fleet consists of South Korean KG Mobility’s Korando EVs.
Hyundai also introduced an autonomous ride-hailing service in 2022, using a fleet of Ioniq vehicles following its acquisition of the AV 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.
According to Lee So-young, the launch of Tesla‘s FSD in South Korea is a signal for the domestic industry, which “is about to get swept up in a whirlwind of innovation. It’s scary, but it’s the path we must take.”
She emphasized the need for action, stating late last month, “The South Korean government needs to get its act together, and Hyundai Kia needs to wake up too.”
A few days later, the Democratic Party, pushed by the lawmaker, successfully “expanded the autonomous driving sector budget to approximately 122.9 billion won” for next year — equivalent to $83.3 billion.
“I believe this will serve as a meaningful seed investment so that the Republic of Korea does not fall behind in the autonomous driving field,” Lee said.
She will continue “monitoring the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to ensure that this hard-won increased budget is executed effectively.”
China Robotaxi Experience
Lee So-young visited China to experience several robotaxis in Beijing’s Autonomous Driving Special Zone, sharing on X that “as soon as the budget bill was processed, I took a quick trip with the staff from my lawmaker’s office.”
Reflecting on the experience, the Assembly Member said that the technology will introduce important changes, including a “significantly lower” traffic accident rate.
However, Lee also noted that “commercial and personal driving labor will disappear,” highlighting the urgency to “prepare countermeasures for the reduction in transportation jobs.”
