S. Korea Approves Self-Driving Trucks for Freight Transport

South Korea has granted its first official approval for paid freight transport using autonomous trucks, marking a major step toward commercializing self-driving technology in the logistics sector.

The Ministry of Transport announced Thursday that startup RideFlux will begin parcel delivery operations in June using a self-driving truck capable of reaching speeds of up to 90 kilometers per hour along a 112-kilometer stretch of the Jungbu Expressway.

The company plans to launch the service after finalizing a commercial transport agreement with its partner, Lotte Global Logistics. The route will be operated using a 25-ton Maxen truck manufactured by Tata Daewoo Mobility, with services scheduled three times per week during off-peak hours.

The rollout will follow a phased safety framework. In the initial stage, a driver will remain in the driver’s seat. In the next phase, expected to begin next year, the driver will move to the passenger seat, with full autonomous operation planned in the final stage.

A ministry official described the approval as a significant milestone toward the commercial deployment of autonomous driving technology in logistics, highlighting South Korea’s push to lead in next-generation transportation systems.