South Korea – Vehicle Intelligence Laboratory (VILab) at Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Seoul National University took a huge step towards making self-driving vehicle one step closer to reality by debuting SNUver3 in Seoul’s Yeouido district.

This was a tremendous breakthrough in South Korea’s history as it was the first time self-driving vehicle appeared on the city road.

The way to success for VILab does not seem to be straightforward as the question of who has the right of way on the road is ambiguous in Seoul; taxis popping out of nowhere and buses swinging across multiple lanes like an outlaw regardless of the traffic laws. Even with the reckless and aggressive driving style of downtown Seoul, VILab plans to overcome all the obstacles with its upgraded self-driving car called SNUvi, which will be launched in late fall this year.

SNUvi proposes more robust environment recognition system by reinforcing sensor fusion of LiDAR sensors with cameras that allow the vehicle to have full awareness of the surroundings. In addition, through accumulation of data and learning, SNUvi intends to strengthen its decision-making and path planning technology. 

Led by Professor Seung-Woo Seo, development of self-driving vehicles for VILab has come a long way since SNUver1 started off to transport students across campus in 2015. Goals for technologies have continuously changed and improved for the higher-level of autonomy, but one goal has been set in stone: complete safety and comfort for all passengers onboard. As SNUvi currently aims for level 4 autonomy, the research team under Professor Seung-Woo Seo needs to buckle up and be prepared to solve any dilemmas to reach its ultimate target of level 5 autonomy.