Kia has launched a pilot car-sharing program in Pangyo, South Korea, featuring its PV5 electric van. The service, which utilizes remote driving technology, allows users to book a vehicle via a dedicated app. The van arrives at the specified location autonomously, and after the user completes their trip, a remote operator manages the return of the vehicle to the garage using 4G or 5G connectivity.
The pilot project is scheduled to run through the end of 2026. Kia is leading the initiative, with SUM providing the remote driving software and Mobiops managing daily operations. Additional support is provided by the Korea Road Traffic Authority, Gyeonggi Province, KT, UMOS ONE, the Next Generation Convergence Technology Research Institute, and the Gyeonggi Automobile Rental Business Association.
This initiative follows a series of regulatory and collaborative milestones for Kia. In April 2025, the company secured a special regulatory sandbox exemption. By November 2025, it established a consortium with Socar, KT, and SUM to demonstrate remote driving on public roads. A further memorandum of understanding was signed in July 2026 to accelerate commercialization.
During the current trial, participants aim to validate the remote driving technology and operational feasibility in real-world conditions. Kia intends to utilize the collected data to refine its systems and plans to expand the service in 2027 to further the commercial rollout of its PV5-based remote driving platform.
