Seoul: GM Korea Co. plans to introduce an advanced hands-free driver assistance system in South Korea later this year, the company said Wednesday, stressing the U.S. automaker’s commitment to its Korean operations despite unfavorable business conditions stemming from Washington’s auto tariffs.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the announcement from the South Korean unit of General Motors Co. to launch its Super Cruise system, currently only available in North America and China, comes as Washington began imposing 25 percent tariffs on automobile imports on April 3. This has fueled concerns over the long-term stability of GM Korea, which maintains a manufacturing presence in Incheon, west of Seoul.
Super Cruise, first launched in 2017 and billed as the industry’s first hands-free driver assistance system, has already logged over 545 million miles, or 877 million kilometers, in North America with a strong safety record, GM Korea said. The system has been localized to cover more than 23,000 km of expressways and major arterial roads in South Korea, making the country the first market outside North America and China to adopt the technology.
“My view is that South Korea is a strategically important market for GM,” Chae Myung-shin, head of the project at GM Korea, said in a media event held in Seoul. “The fact that Super Cruise is being introduced here after the United States and China shows the significance of our commitment.” Chae reiterated the strategic importance of the South Korean market for GM, highlighting the more than 10 billion won (US$7.1 million) in direct investment the company has put into the system here.
The system uses laser imaging, detection and ranging (LiDAR) to create high-definition maps optimized for Korean roads, incorporating details such as road curvature and bus-only lanes, alongside camera, radar and global positioning system (GPS) sensors. A dedicated local server for the system will deliver over-the-air updates for maps and software.
Yoon Myung-ok, communications director at GM Korea, stressed that the company has no plans to scale back its presence in the country. “We are continuously seeking opportunities to bring competitive, profitable vehicles to Korean customers. Our efforts to introduce the right cars that appeal to local buyers have never stopped, and they will continue going forward,” Yoon said.
Super Cruise will be first available on an upcoming Cadillac model later this year, with an expansion to other GM brands in Korea under review. GM Korea was founded in 2002, when the U.S. automaker bought a majority stake in the then troubled Daewoo Motors and launched a new carmaker, GM Daewoo Auto and Technology. It was renamed GM Korea in 2011.
The company has two plants in Incheon, west of Seoul, and Changwon, about 300 kilometers southeast of the capital, as well as a research and development subsidiary, which together employ around 11,000 workers. GM Korea exports approximately 410,000 vehicles annually, with about 85 percent of those shipped to the U.S.