Seoul launches VR simulator to test autonomous driving

The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) has announced it is building a pilot driving zone for autonomous cars. Forming part of the cooperative intelligent transport system (C-ITS) construction project, the virtual reality autonomous driving simulator will reflect road, traffic, and weather conditions by using digital twin technologies. According to SMG, by expanding the virtual territory to Gangnam and the city centre, it will enable Seoul to "leap forward" as a city of commercialised self-driving vehicles. The autonomous driving simulator will be open to the public, and anyone from companies to research institutes, start-ups, and universities can use it free of charge. SMG's rationale is the greater the numbers of developers who test the simulator the more opportunity there is to improve their technologies, and help the industry to further advance.