Seoul, South Korea - Socar, a South Korean car-sharing platform, plans to launch an autonomous car-hailing service in partnership with Rideflux in the first half of 2021.
Rideflux, a 3D lidar-based autonomous driving software company, received seed funding from Socar and its major shareholder, SOQRI, in July 2018.
Rideflux has secured Series A funding, although the amount was not disclosed.
The service will operate Chrysler Pacifica vehicles on a 38-kilometer route between Jeju and Jungmun in Seogwipo.
This follows Rideflux's autonomous shuttle service between Jeju International Airport and Socar Station, which began operations in May 2020.
Over eight months, the airport shuttle service completed 5,400 trips and accumulated 500 hours of operational data.
Users rated the service 4.9 out of 5.
The companies plan to expand the service to 400 kilometers of major roads in Jeju Island and Sejong City by the end of the year.
Other South Korean companies are also entering the autonomous driving market.
Kakao Mobility has launched a paid service using LIDAR technology in Sejong City.
The company says it has tested its systems over 40,000 kilometers.
42dot, a startup backed by Hyundai-Kia Motors Group and LG Electronics, announced plans to launch Level 4 autonomous driving in Seoul starting in January using proprietary sensor fusion technology without LIDAR or HD Map.
The South Korean government has designated several areas for open beta testing of autonomous driving, including sections in Seoul, Chungbuk-Sejong, Daegu, and Jeju.
