*This content was translated by AI.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport held its 8th Mobility Innovation Committee meeting on the 11th of this month to deliberate and approve a total of 16 mobility regulatory sandbox proposals, including the electric vehicle battery subscription service and the operation of the Gwangju autonomous driving demonstration city. The core of this approval is granting regulatory exemptions to separate battery ownership from the vehicle body, accounting for approximately 40% of the electric vehicle's price.
Under the current Automobile Management Act, it was impossible to designate different owners for the vehicle body and the battery, but through this demonstration exemption, a new purchasing method is being introduced where consumers buy only the vehicle body and rent the battery from a leasing company by paying a monthly usage fee. This project is scheduled to conduct a two-year demonstration starting in October 2026 targeting 2,000 Hyundai electric vehicles, and it is expected to drastically reduce the burden of initial purchase costs for electric vehicles. Some critics argue that the monthly usage fee model is ultimately a 'three-sparrow-one-stone' financial technique with no significant difference in total cost, but the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport explained that leasing companies can substantially lower subscription fees by recovering and reusing batteries after the rental period ends through a resource circulation model, thereby reflecting the battery's residual value. Additionally, since leasing companies will directly manage the batteries, safety management is expected to be strengthened, laying the groundwork for the creation of various battery-related services.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport plans to manage the situation so that manufacturers remain responsible for consumer protection obligations such as recalls and free repairs, even if ownership is separated. Radical exemptions have also been allowed in the field of autonomous driving. A 'self-certification exemption' will be granted to 200 dedicated vehicles deployed in the Gwangju autonomous driving demonstration city designated in April 2026. While road driving normally requires undergoing stringent self-certification procedures such as those for Yangsan vehicles, vehicles with a strong software-centric nature (SDV) for research purposes will now be able to apply for temporary operation permits without certification procedures. Furthermore, to ensure rapid response in the event of accidents on the road, autonomous driving on-site response vehicles will be designated as 'emergency vehicles' under the Road Traffic Act to improve operational efficiency.
A host of life-oriented services aimed at enhancing public safety and expanding mobility rights have also been included. To prevent accidents caused by pedal misoperation by elderly drivers, etc., the demonstration of a 'pedal misoperation prevention device' that analyzes acceleration pedal output signals to block sudden acceleration and emit warning sounds has been approved. As a policy to strengthen mobility rights for transportation-disadvantaged groups, paid transportation services will become possible, utilizing specially modified vehicles to transport elderly people or persons with disabilities and providing professional accompanying services. In addition, a new transportation service that mixes premium, deluxe, and standard seats within a single bus, and a risk alert system that uses AI cameras to detect potholes or falling objects on the road and delivers information to stop sign guides, will also enter the demonstration phase.
Exemptions to support business continuity in the logistics industry also stand out. A program has been implemented that allows for the short-term rental of a same-class private cargo vehicle or another delivery truck when a delivery truck or a cargo vehicle of 1 ton or less stops due to an accident or breakdown, minimizing delivery disruptions. Kim Yoon-deok, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, emphasized that through this demonstration exemption, the ministry will closely verify consumer reactions and contentious issues, establish reasonable standards in the future institutionalization process, and implement a safe and convenient future mobility environment that citizens can feel. The proposals approved this time will receive a demonstration period of up to four years, and if their effectiveness is proven, they will be incorporated into the regulatory framework through formal legislative revision.
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*This content was translated by AI.
