Autonomous a2z Secures Singapore M1 Autonomous Driving License

South Korean Autonomous Driving Technology Runs on Singapore's Public Roads: Autonomous a2z (A2G) Achieves M1 License Acquisition Feat Autonomous a2z (hereinafter A2G), a leading South Korean autonomous driving company, has earned the distinction of being the first domestic company to acquire an M1 license from the Singapore Land Transport Authority (LTA) for autonomous driving operations on local public roads. This marks a significant milestone, officially recognizing A2G's technological prowess and potential in the global market. Singapore's autonomous driving license system is divided into M1 (safety driver mandatory), M2 (conditional safety driver), and M3 (fully unmanned), designed to progressively expand technological maturity and operational scope. The M1 license acquired by A2G is an initial-stage license that requires a safety driver to be present in the vehicle within specific routes in a restricted environment. The core driving force behind this license acquisition is A2G's unique empirical experience accumulated in South Korea. Operating 55 of the 455 temporarily permitted autonomous vehicles in Korea, A2G has amassed the longest urban road demonstration data in the country, totaling 620,000 km, which proves the strong competitiveness of A2G's technology. Particularly noteworthy is that a South Korean company, from a left-hand drive country, obtaining a license in Singapore, a right-hand drive country, demonstrates A2G's exceptional technological flexibility and global response capabilities. Despite challenges such as reversing the core software system structure and validating road environments non-existent in Korea, A2G proactively developed autonomous driving software optimized for right-hand drive vehicles by actively utilizing K-City, a facility of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Korea Transportation Safety Authority's Automotive Safety Research Institute (KATRI). Furthermore, this achievement was made possible by meeting Singapore's strict standards through A2G (Autonomous To Global), a local joint venture established with Kilsa Global. Building on the M1 license acquisition, A2G plans to actively pursue additional demonstration projects and expand commercial services for its self-developed Korean-style Level 4 autonomous vehicle 'ROii' in Singapore. In accordance with the new autonomous driving assessment framework announced by Singapore's LTA, A2G will pass the DRA (Driverless Readiness Assessment) after obtaining the M1 license, thereby laying a crucial foundation for the commercialization of ROii as a fully unmanned autonomous vehicle. Furthermore, A2G's strategy is to accelerate the export of ROii to various countries beyond Singapore and to leverage its right-hand drive software development capabilities to expand into markets with different road environments than Korea, such as Japan, thereby strengthening its global competitiveness. Han Ji-hyung, CEO of A2G, stated, "This acquisition of the Singapore M1 license is a meaningful achievement that officially recognizes Autonomous a2z's technology and reliability in the global market," adding, "We will strive to acquire M2 and M3 certifications through continuous technological innovation and contribute to securing national competitiveness." Meanwhile, A2G is accelerating its global expansion. In 2024, A2G established a local joint venture in Singapore, also named A2G, secured the Singapore smart city project COSMO, and is currently installing and operating its self-developed LiDAR Infrastructure System (LIS) at the local autonomous driving test site CETRAN. Additionally, it is accelerating its worldwide expansion by engaging in final discussions with Space42 (formerly Bayanat), the mobility subsidiary of G42, the UAE's largest AI company, to establish A2D (Abu Dhabi Autonomous Driving), the first autonomous driving joint venture in the Middle East.