– A ready-to-use autonomous driving solution for immediate deployment in any setting.
– Founded by the original team from autonomous vehicle company ThorDrive. Won the Incheon Airport project a mere 4 months after inception.
– NAVER D2SF aims to encourage partnerships between NAVER’s self-driving technology and up-and-coming mobility businesses.
SEOUL, South Korea, Feb. 21, 2025 — NAVER D2SF has invested in the seed funding of whereable.ai, a startup utilizing AI for autonomous driving. As Tesla and Waymo remain leaders in the self-driving vehicle industry, whereable.ai is creating adaptable self-driving technology.
whereable.ai is creating an AI-driven autonomous driving solution using self-supervised learning to understand current road conditions and adjust to changing environments through constant learning and enhancements. The technology from whereable.ai processes information directly on devices instead of using cloud computing, which allows for adaptable modifications to driving locations and routes based on customer needs. This plug-and-play system facilitates immediate operation without the need for detailed maps or extra infrastructure.
whereable.ai was started by the founding members of ThorDrive, one of the first autonomous driving companies in South Korea. The team has comprehensive autonomous driving technology and significant experience in commercializing technology and applying it in real-world scenarios in both South Korea and the United States. Using this knowledge, whereable.ai partnered with hy Mobility and ATEC Mobility and, within four months of its establishment, successfully obtained a project to implement autonomous mobility (AM) vehicles in the departure area of Incheon International Airport’s Terminal 2.
Currently, ten autonomous indoor vehicles are being tested at Incheon International Airport, with official operations scheduled to commence in the first half of 2025. Building on this success, whereable.ai has identified international airports as its main target market and intends to expand into autonomous driving solutions for both indoor and outdoor environments in large shopping centers, resorts, golf courses, campuses, and industrial sites.
Yang Sanghwan, Head of NAVER D2SF, stated, “whereable.ai, with its exceptional technical skills and extensive practical experience, is ideally positioned to quickly dominate the market for autonomous driving in indoor and low-speed vehicles (LSV).”
NAVER D2SF is the corporate venture capital arm of the Korean tech firm NAVER. Through its R&D division, NAVER LABS, NAVER is dedicated to creating state-of-the-art technologies in autonomous driving, robotics, and digital twins. At present, NAVER operates approximately 100 autonomous delivery robots (“Rookie”) at the “Tech Convergence Building, 1784,” an innovation center that integrates advanced technologies. NAVER D2SF is dedicated to promoting collaboration between mobility startups and NAVER’s technological ecosystem.
About NAVER D2SF
is NAVER’s corporate venturing(CV) division, tackling significant challenges and encouraging sustainable growth through collaborations with startups. Established in 1999, NAVER is a unique example of a local search engine that has held its leading position in South Korea for over two decades and has built a strong presence across various business areas, including e-commerce, content, fintech, and cloud services. In addition to its own products, NAVER is developing a robust global business portfolio through alliances with prominent companies, including Softbank, Poshmark, and Wattpad. NAVER reported revenues of KRW 9.6 trillion (USD 6.9 billion) in 2023. Furthermore, under the technological vision of D2 (For Developers, By Developers), NAVER is actively pursuing new technologies and collaborative projects to evolve into a global technology leader.
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