Kia launches South Korea's first remote-operated car-sharing pilot

The trial is the result of a consortium between car-sharing company Socar, telecom operator KT, Kia and autonomous-driving startup SUM. The partners have moved to a stage where they are looking to commercialize the technology, according to TechRadar.

According to the Korean Herald, cited by TechRadar, operators at external centers control unoccupied vehicles over 4G or 5G networks. A simple app interface provides booking, payment and support. To avoid network connectivity failures, the consortium established a triple-network system, paired with operator training and emergency response measures.

Customers can leave the vehicle at their destination and have a remote operator drive it back to the depot for servicing and charging. Kia says remote vehicle operation reduces the burden on large car-sharing fleet operators by removing the logistical work of moving vehicles around. It also gives customers greater freedom to collect and return cars at a location of their choosing. The automaker says the technology can support mobility in areas with limited transport infrastructure and everyday convenience services.

The companies involved say using existing telecommunications infrastructure and conventional vehicles makes the setup less costly than fully autonomous systems, TechRadar reported.

TechRadar reported that BMW unveiled similar tele-operated technology at CES 2024: an automated valet parking solution developed with supplier Valeo. The system let remote valet-parking experts take control of connected BMW vehicles and help them find a space. TechRadar tried the technology in the parking lot of the Las Vegas Convention Center, remotely controlling an iX model with a gaming wheel and pedals, large televisions and touchscreens. BMW and Valeo saw it as a failsafe while vehicles autonomously searched for parking spaces in designated areas. If a vehicle ran into trouble, a remote operator could take control and guide it to a suitable spot.

BMW has not launched a public tele-operation pilot program yet, according to TechRadar, which said Kia’s latest move could encourage more companies to explore similar solutions. The report also cited Elon Musk’s statement that all Teslas would be capable of fully autonomous driving and could earn money as Robotaxis, a scenario that has not happened. TechRadar described remote tele-operation as a logical stepping stone toward using the autonomous capabilities of connected and software-defined vehicles.