[Edaily Reporter Lee So-Hyun ] SOCAR(403550)and autonomous driving company Apex Mobility are joining forces with the car rental industry and state-funded research institutions to lay the groundwork for the autonomous vehicle rental industry. In line with the trend toward the commercialization of autonomous driving, the companies plan to begin full-scale discussions on technology development, pilot projects, and regulatory improvements within the vehicle rental service sector.

SOCAR announced on the 4th that it had signed a “Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the Development of the Autonomous Vehicle Rental Industry” with Apex Mobility, the Korea Car Rental Business Association Federation, and the Korea Transportation Institute on the 3rd.

The signing ceremony was attended by Park Jae-wook, CEO of SOCAR and Apex Mobility; Jang Hyuk, Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) of Apex Mobility; Choi Yoon-cheol, President of the Korea Car Rental Business Association; and Kim Young-chan, President of the Korea Transportation Institute.

This agreement was established to broadly promote joint research and demonstration for the development of autonomous vehicle rental service technologies, as well as the development of service platforms and the strengthening of operational capabilities. The parties believe that as the commercialization of autonomous vehicles draws nearer, the vehicle rental industry must also enhance its competitiveness accordingly.

Specific areas of cooperation include joint research on the development of autonomous vehicle rental service technologies, the development and enhancement of rental service platforms, the implementation of pilot and demonstration projects, and the strengthening of operational capabilities. The agreement also covers research on measures to improve user and operator acceptance, studies on directions for improving laws and regulations related to autonomous vehicle rental services, and the provision of policy materials.

The Korea Car Rental Association Federation is a statutory organization for the car rental industry authorized by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport; it gathers industry opinions, convenes working-level consultation bodies, and serves as a channel for external cooperation.

The Korea Transportation Institute plans to propose directions for policy development and legal and institutional improvements for the rental industry in the era of autonomous driving through research, demonstration, and the provision of data.

SOCAR and Apex Mobility will lead the technical validation and advancement of autonomous vehicle rental services, leveraging their expertise in car-sharing and mobility platform operations, as well as their capabilities in processing large-scale user data. The two companies also plan to focus on fostering the relevant ecosystem.

At the signing ceremony, Kim Young-chan, President of the Korea Transportation Institute, stated, “As autonomous driving technology has reached a level of commercial viability, Korea also needs a roadmap for autonomous driving services from both technical and policy perspectives.” He added, “Collaboration between the government, local governments, and passenger transportation operators is expected to become increasingly important, centered on the pilot project for autonomous vehicle rental services currently underway internally.”

Choi Yoon-cheol, Chairman of the Korea Car Rental Association, remarked, “This memorandum of understanding is significant in that it establishes a foundation for practical cooperation between the industry and technology and research institutions in preparation for the commercialization of autonomous vehicle rental services.” He added, “We will pool the expertise of each organization to advance key tasks, such as platform development, and actively seek institutional improvements.”

Park Jae-wook, CEO of SOCAR and Apex Mobility, said, “We expect this agreement to serve as a catalyst for strengthening competitiveness across the entire rental service industry and national research institutions.” He added, “We view this as the first concrete step toward the commercialization of autonomous vehicle rental services, and we will accelerate efforts to enhance the service through future pilot projects.”

SOCAR is also working to secure future technological competitiveness under its goal of transforming from a car-sharing company into a full-stack mobility company. To this end, it established Apex Mobility, a joint venture for autonomous driving with a total investment of 150 billion won, last May.

SOCAR and Apex Mobility have built a training data pipeline totaling 1.1 million km per day and plan to begin operating vehicles equipped with a full suite of sensors—including LiDAR and cameras—to develop a Korean-style autonomous driving foundation model in the future.