The Korea Automobile Research Institute (KARI) is accelerating efforts to establish a base for technological independence and full-cycle support for the autonomous vehicle and automotive semiconductor industries.

On the 9th, Hanjayeon held a groundbreaking ceremony for the 'Autonomous Driving and Vehicle Semiconductor Comprehensive Support Center' at a site near the KTX Cheonan-Asan Station in Baebang-eup, Asan-si, Chungcheongnam-do.

This project is a 'one-stop support base' for the national core power grid project and future mobility activation that the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, South Chungcheong Province, Asan City and Hanjayun have been working closely together since 2022, and aims to support the safety and reliability testing and evaluation of autonomous driving and automotive semiconductor technology and the entire product certification cycle.

The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by approximately 300 people including government, local government, corporate, and institutional officials, including Hanjaewon President Jin Jong-wook, South Chungcheong Province Governor Kim Tae-heum, Asan City Mayor Oh Se-hyeon, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy Automobile Division Director Park Tae-hyeon, South Chungcheong Provincial Council Speaker Hong Seong-hyeon, and Asan City Council Speaker Hong Seong-pyo, who shared the goal of strengthening the competitiveness of autonomous driving and automotive semiconductor technology in the future.

This center will be built on a site of 5,696㎡ with a total floor area of 4,431㎡, with 1 underground floor and 4 above-ground floors, and is scheduled to open officially at the end of 2026.

The center supports safety and reliability testing and evaluation to meet international standards for automotive semiconductor functional safety, and raises awareness of autonomous vehicle operation safety. We plan to establish a full-cycle support system that includes performance verification testing and evaluation, and testing and evaluation in response to international standards for semiconductor cybersecurity for autonomous vehicles.

In addition, the center is expected to become a key infrastructure that will enhance industrial competitiveness and lead technological independence by linking with three national public offering projects: establishing an industrial innovation base for automotive semiconductor functional safety and reliability, establishing a base for autonomous driving perception and operational safety performance verification, and establishing a base for autonomous vehicle system semiconductor security evaluation.

Jin Jong-wook, president of Hanjayun, said, “This comprehensive support center, which is being built this time, will be a ‘one-stop support base’ for the entire cycle of autonomous driving and automotive semiconductors, and will serve as an important cornerstone for securing core future mobility technologies and achieving technological independence.” He emphasized, “We will spur the creation of an advanced mobility industry ecosystem by establishing an integrated research and testing system that can solve all problems through effective cooperation with the government, local governments, and related companies and organizations.”