Autonomous driving in South Korea continues, bypassing roadblocks; Baden-Württemberg looks to follow suit and gain insights.

In the heart of Seoul, South Korea, lies the AI Hub, a massive startup hub focusing on artificial intelligence, autonomous driving, and the recycling of car batteries. Amidst politically turbulent times in Korea, Minister of Transport Winfried Hermann (Greens) led a delegation from Baden-Württemberg to this innovative hub.

The visit comes as South Korea is embracing a "fast, fast" mindset when it comes to autonomous driving. Unlike Japan, where most autonomous vehicles barely leave the test lab, South Korea allows for extensive testing under a "negative policy" where it is not explicitly prohibited.

In Seoul, a robotaxi and an early bus are operating with a driver on board for door opening and driving in prohibited zones. Established automotive giants like Mercedes, BMW, and Audi are already active with level 2 autonomous driving in Korea.

One of the startups the delegation visited was Poen, which is growing dynamically with a 250% yearly growth rate. Poen offers refurbished batteries for various applications, with CEO Sung-Jin Choi replacing only defective parts of car batteries, reducing costs by 20-30%. The startup is currently cooperating with the Reutlingen company Prittel for a battery factory near Stuttgart.

Another startup, Spillmann, based in Bietigheim-Bissingen, is working on offering automated minibuses for elderly people. This innovative solution aims to improve mobility for an increasingly aging population.

However, the delegation's journey was not without challenges. Traffic delays were experienced due to protests by supporters and opponents of the conservative president, President Yoon Suk-yeol, who has declared martial law, been impeached by parliament, and is challenging the decision, causing a constitutional crisis.

Despite these challenges, Minister Hermann remains optimistic about the development of electromobility and AI in Baden-Württemberg and Asia. The region has already invested 300 million euros in the AI Hub, and 126 companies have been founded there.

As Minister Hermann concludes his last big trip as Minister of Transport of Baden-Württemberg, having been in office since 2011, he is accompanied by Chief Editor Rafael Binkowski, who is reporting directly from the scene in Asia.

Meanwhile, in South Korea, an "AI City" is planned where everything related to autonomous driving will be tested. 40 municipalities have declared themselves as test cities, adding 5,000 kilometers on 44 highways for autonomous driving testing. One of these test cities is Kuersat Katal, a startup able to test autonomous driving extensively and collect a large amount of test data.

The future of autonomous driving and AI in both Baden-Württemberg and South Korea looks promising, with innovative startups and established companies working together to push the boundaries of technology.

Autonomous driving in South Korea continues, bypassing roadblocks; Baden-Württemberg looks to follow suit and gain insights.