Wearable AI, 'linq' Autonomous Shuttle Wins Two CES 2026 Innovation Awards

Wearable AI, which is opening up new horizons for future mobility with its innovative autonomous driving technology, has globally proven its technological prowess and market potential by sweeping up Innovation Awards in two categories – 'Smart City' and 'Accessibility & Aging' – for its autonomous indoor shuttle 'linq' at CES 2026, scheduled to take place next January. Building on this award, the company plans to accelerate its global business targeting international airports and large-scale facilities. Wearable AI's award-winning 'linq' is an innovative autonomous shuttle that provides the optimal mobility experience for passengers in large indoor spaces such as airports, resorts, and shopping malls. Through its world model-based E2E (End-to-End) autonomous driving system, it implements a 'mapless' approach that allows it to perceive and make decisions about its surroundings to drive without high-precision maps (HD Maps), boasting excellent scalability. User convenience has also been maximized. Equipped with not only a touchscreen but also voice recognition (VLM) capabilities, it allows any passenger to easily select their destination with a single voice command, making it convenient for everyone to use. The hardware has also been meticulously designed to suit complex indoor environments. Thanks to its 4-wheel independent drive and steering system, it can perform zero-turn rotations and crab-walk-like lateral movements, demonstrating excellent maneuverability even in narrow passages and crowded areas with many pedestrians. Furthermore, the control system that efficiently manages multiple vehicles simultaneously encompasses real-time monitoring, remote control, and operational statistics management, further enhancing operational efficiency. Wearable AI has already gained practical experience by supplying its software to 10 autonomous transport vehicles at Incheon International Airport Terminal 2. Based on this experience, the company is self-developing the 'linq,' a complete shuttle designed to navigate perfectly even in open areas where pedestrians and various moving objects are mixed, with a target official launch in the first half of 2026. Currently, it is discussing PoC (Proof of Concept) collaborations with several global airports, and also plans to expand its business into special-purpose environments such as shopping malls, resorts, and even the defense sector in the future. Baek Doo-san, CEO of Wearable AI, stated, “Receiving the CES Innovation Award is a result of linq’s marketability and competitiveness being recognized globally,” expressing his strong determination to “accelerate commercialization and sales performance to leap forward as an autonomous driving startup leading the global airport market.” Wearable AI, with an impressive track record including attracting seed investment from Naver D2SF and Quad Ventures, being selected for the Defense Venture Innovative Technology Support Project, and winning the grand prize at the KTOA Venturium Demo Day, is highly anticipated as a key player that will change the landscape of the future autonomous driving market.