TEST OF FULL-SELF DRIVING VEHICLE

[Anchor Lead]

Self-driving vehicles are classified into six levels, 0 to 5, according to what technologies they are based on. Level 4 of driving automation is known to be the first stage of a fully autonomous car. The first full self driving test has been conducted in Korea.

[Pkg]

A car is spotted zipping through a city road. The steering wheel in this car moves on its own. The car checks for pedestrians before turning right and moves carefully to avoid roadwork sites.

[Soundbite] Seo Da-bin(Autonomous Driving Researcher) : "Data on ongoing roadwork is sent by telecommunication devices to tell the car to avoid clashes in advance."

When a child suddenly appears on a crosswalk from behind an illegally parked car, the autonomous vehicle reduces speed and comes to a stop. When followed by an ambulance, it changes lanes to give way. This self-driving vehicle grasps traffic conditions using telecommunication signals sent from devices embedded in security cameras installed on the roads. As long as telecommunication is smooth, this Level-4 autonomous vehicle can move on its own without help from a human driver. It took two years for Korean researchers to develop it. The car has passed its first driving test that spanned 2km round-trip.

[Soundbite] Shin Jae-gon(Korea Automobile Testing and Research Institute) : "For example, when a car is about to turn right, it sends signals on potential hazards like black ice, pedestrians or accidents. This way, the autonomous cars can operate more safely."

However, there are still unresolved tasks such as driving in inclement weather conditions and at nighttime when telecommunication signals can be interrupted.