Korea unveils ambitious R&D agenda

A level 4 autonomous vehicle developed by Hyundai Mobis runs on a road in the western port city of Incheon. [Courtesy of Hyundai Mobis Co.]

The South Korean government plans to increase its 2025 budget for researching and developing artificial intelligence (AI) for self-driving cars and the most advanced battle tanks.

The second strategic council convened by the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy (MOTIE) on Thursday, which involved input from private experts from businesses, research organizations, and universities, discussed 62 new R&D projects for the upcoming year, including flagship initiatives.

The flagship projects focus on 12 key technologies, including world-leading semiconductors for autonomous vehicles and next-generation tanks, as well as innovations in non-electric energy storage and power grids.

The ministry also unveiled an ambitious goal of achieving the world‘s first commercialization of autonomous driving network systems capable of 10Gbps speeds or higher, alongside the development of advanced chips designed to enable Level 4 or higher driving autonomy.