Kakao Mobility Corp., a leading ride-hailing app operator in South Korea, is set to launch an indoor robot delivery service using self-driving robots from LG Electronics Inc. This service, named “Bring,” is scheduled to start operations at NOUDIT Seoul Forest, a prominent cultural and commercial center in Seoul, this Thursday.
LG Electronics is supplying the CLOi ServeBot robots and the necessary operating software, while Kakao Mobility will manage the service through its Bring-on platform, which integrates AI to handle orders and direct robot activities. This platform builds on the extensive experience Kakao Mobility has acquired from its successful ride-hailing app, Kakao T, which operates in over 35 countries.
The venture into autonomous delivery services by Kakao Mobility began with a partnership formed with LG in 2022, focusing on developing both indoor and outdoor robot delivery solutions. This latest initiative represents a significant advance, positioning the companies at the forefront of the rapidly expanding global robot delivery market, projected by Hana Bank’s research to grow significantly by 2026.
The launch coincides with a broader movement in South Korea’s tech industry, spurred by recent legislative changes favoring the use of autonomous robots in delivery services. These changes are part of a national strategy to expand the country’s robotics market substantially by 2030. With these advancements, both corporate giants and startups are keen to capture a larger share of the lucrative last-mile delivery market, anticipated to surge globally in the coming years.
