Korea to revise Level 3 autonomous car safety rules, including eased speed limits

[Photo by MK DB]

Cars will be able to stay autonomous on expressways in Korea at faster speeds than the international limit of 60 km/h upon deregulations to boost manufacturing of safe autonomous vehicles and early commercialization.

Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on Thursday said it will revise the safety standards for Level 3 autonomous vehicles after careful discussion with related departments. The gist of the upcoming revision is to ease the speed limit for the self-driving vehicles to follow the requirements for general vehicles on each road, not the internationally standards of 60 km/h.

With Level 3 autonomy, advanced driver assistance technologies can keep the vehicle in the right lane in favorable conditions of limited roads like expressways, and the driver takes care of special circumstances. The driver has to keep watching traffic and stay alert in readiness for take control of the car at all times.

The latest move comes as global finished carmakers like Mercedes-Benz are preparing commercialization within the year, with Hyundai Motor Co. planning to unveil new Level 3 technology-applied Genesis G90 this year.

The transport ministry established the world’s first safety standards for Level 3 autonomous vehicles in December 2019. The upcoming revision is to improve the consistency with international standards enacted in March last year.

Under the upcoming revision, carmakers will be allowed to set up their own timeframe required for driving mode shift of their cars. The time is currently set at 15 seconds, thus requiring drivers to notify the car of discontinuing self-driving mode at least 15 seconds, for example, before exit points of expressways.

Speed limits for Level 3 autonomous cars will also be eased, and autonomous cars will be available for driving at the same speed like regular vehicles.

Ways to end self-driving mode will be specified in accordance with international requirements. Emergency driving conditions will become clearer, the ministry explained.

For better recognition of self-driving system operation, separate visual indicator device will be added to the edge of the steering wheel. When the autonomous driving mode ends, drivers will be alarmed with display equipment automatically turned off to avoid the risk of accidents.

“The ministry will provide more support to minimize any negative effects of regulations for technology development of new industries and market expansion and further to nurture autonomous cars as one of the future growth engines,” said Park Ji-hong, director general for motor vehicles policy at the transport ministry.

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