AUTONOMOUS A2Z Becomes First Korean Company to Obtain Singapore's M1 Autonomous Vehicle License - Middle East Business News and Information
Singapore, May 19, 2025 — AUTONOMOUS A2Z, South Korea's leading autonomous driving technology firm led by CEO Ji-hyeong Han, announced today that it has successfully obtained the Milestone 1 (M1) Vehicle Safety Assessment approval from Singapore's Land Transport Authority (LTA). This achievement marks AUTONOMOUS A2Z as the first Korean company authorized to operate autonomous vehicles (AVs) on public roads in Singapore under specific designated conditions.
In Singapore, autonomous vehicles must pass rigorous Milestone 1 (M1) safety assessments administered by the Centre of Excellence for Testing and Research of Autonomous Vehicles (CETRAN) AV Test Centre, developed in collaboration with LTA and the Traffic Police. These assessments ensure AVs, including Class 3, Class 4, and Autonomous Emergency Service Vehicles (AESVs), adhere to Singapore's stringent safety and performance standards before operating on public roads.
AUTONOMOUS A2Z achieved this landmark approval due to its extensive operational experience developed through significant autonomous vehicle testing in complex urban settings across South Korea. The company is currently the leading AV company with the most number of AV permits from a single company and accumulating over 620,000 kilometers in real-world autonomous driving—representing the highest cumulative autonomous driving distance recorded in the country.
This milestone is particularly notable given that AUTONOMOUS A2Z transitioned successfully from South Korea's left-hand driving infrastructure to Singapore's right-hand driving environment, demonstrating exceptional technical adaptability and international scalability. Despite lacking right-hand traffic conditions domestically, the company proactively developed and validated its autonomous driving software for right-hand drive operations using K-City, a dedicated government-supported test facility managed by the Korea Transportation Safety Authority (KATRI). This process involved reconfiguring core perception algorithms, sensor configurations, and decision-making logic to adapt to right-hand driving standards.
The M1 assessment approval was facilitated through Autonomous2Global Innovations (A2G), AUTONOMOUS A2Z's local joint venture established in partnership with KILSA Global in Singapore. A2G played a crucial role in addressing Singapore's requirements for the AV authorisation criteria.
Building on this achievement, AUTONOMOUS A2Z plans to expand the international deployment of its Level 4 autonomous shuttle, ROii, and actively pursue additional AV pilot initiatives and commercial projects in Singapore. The company is also looking to extend its validated right-hand drive autonomous software stack to other markets with similar driving environments, including Japan.
'Securing Singapore's AV Authorisation approval is a significant validation of AUTONOMOUS A2Z's technological capability and scalability on the global stage,' said CEO Ji-hyeong Han. 'We remain committed to advancing innovation and contributing significantly to Korea's leadership in the global autonomous vehicle industry.'
In 2024, AUTONOMOUS A2Z established Autonomous2Global Innovations (A2G), a strategic joint venture with KILSA Global in Singapore. Through A2G, the company delivered a key work package for COSMO, a government-led R&D smart mobility initiative. Additionally, the company deployed its LiDAR Infrastructure System (LIS) at CETRAN, further underscoring its commitment to advancing autonomous vehicle infrastructure. In the Middle East, AUTONOMOUS A2Z is finalizing preparations for the launch of A2D, a joint venture with Space42, the mobility subsidiary of G42—UAE's premier AI conglomerate and former operator of Bayanat. This initiative represents the first Korean-led autonomous driving joint venture in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
About AUTONOMOUS A2Z
Founded in 2018 by Ji-hyeong Han and three fellow autonomous driving engineers formerly with Hyundai Motor Company, AUTONOMOUS A2Z is South Korea's leading autonomous driving solution provider. The company currently operates the nation's largest fleet ofautonomous vehicles and holds the longest cumulative autonomous driving record in urban environments, having driven over 620,000 kilometers on public roads as of March 2025. Building on this foundation, AUTONOMOUS A2Z is developing a range of future mobility services, including urban autonomous shuttles and smart logistics transportation solutions, with a focus on safe and efficient commercialization of autonomous driving technology.
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