Kakao Mobility Debuts Robot Parking Service in Cheongju

Kakao Mobility Unveils the Future of Parking with Robot Valet 'Parkie': First Appearance in Cheongju Kakao Mobility has opened a new chapter in future mobility by introducing an innovative robot valet parking service in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, in collaboration with its subsidiary KM Park and HL Robotics. Installed in the basement parking lot of the Chungbuk Content Enterprise Promotion Center, this system utilizes HL Robotics' parking robot 'Parkie' to fully automate the vehicle entry and exit process, offering users unprecedented convenience. This pilot operation, initiated in cooperation with the North Chungcheong Provincial Office and the Chungbuk Institute of Science and Technology Innovation, targets employees of institutions housed in the building, with future expansion of service eligibility currently under review. More Than Just Simplicity: The Robot Valet Parking Service Experience The usage is extremely simple. Users of the parking lot only need to stop their vehicle in a designated spot within the robot valet service area after their license plate is recognized, and then exit the vehicle. Subsequently, upon requesting entry via a kiosk, HL Robotics' parking robot Parkie skillfully drives under the vehicle, lifts its chassis, and moves it to the optimal parking space. The exit process is also smart and convenient. If a user requests vehicle retrieval via the KakaoTalk notification link received upon entry, Parkie precisely aligns and delivers the vehicle to the designated exit direction. After receiving the notification and completing final confirmation at the kiosk, the vehicle can be exited immediately. Kakao Mobility has further maximized user convenience by implementing technology for vehicle entry and exit control via smartphone. Innovative Technology and Vision for Expansion Kakao Mobility and HL Robotics laid the foundation for this innovative project by signing a 'Business Agreement for Commercialization of Autonomous Parking Robot Service' in May of last year. Parkie, in particular, operates in a unique way by driving under the vehicle and lifting its chassis, and its innovativeness has been recognized with 'Best Innovation Awards' at CES 2024 and FIX 2025. Currently, parking robots are classified as 'mechanical parking facilities' under current law, necessitating the installation of a separate area within parking lots. However, the company stated that discussions for related legal amendments are actively underway, and it anticipates a significant improvement in parking convenience and a dramatic increase in urban space utilization efficiency once the service expands nationwide after the law is revised. As a leader in integrated mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) platforms, Kakao Mobility is driving mobility innovation based on its own core technologies, including 'FIN (Fused Indoor localizatioN)' indoor positioning technology and 'UPC (Universal Parking Controller)' integrated operating system for multiple parking lots. The company emphasized its expansion of capabilities in the global market, such as signing an MOU to provide parking solutions for Saudi Arabia's 'Diriyah Project,' and that mobility technology will consistently play a role in delivering value to actual users. The robot valet service 'Parkie' will be an important step in realizing Kakao Mobility's vision.