AutomotiveNov 9, 2026, 6:53 AM UTC·2 min read

Kakao Mobility Teams With Nvidia on Level 4 Self-Driving for Kia PBVs

Kakao Mobility signed an MOU with Nvidia to build a Level 4 autonomous system, combining its own driving AI with Nvidia hardware and safety tech for Kia's PBVs.

A Kia purpose-built vehicle with autonomous driving sensors driving through a city street in Gangnam, Seoul. — Image: zdnet.co.kr

Kakao Mobility is partnering with Nvidia to develop Level 4 autonomous driving technology, with the first deployment planned on Kia's purpose-built vehicles (PBVs). The South Korean company said it signed a memorandum of understanding with Nvidia on November 9 at the Westin Seoul Parnas in Gangnam, aiming to commercialize driverless services.

Under the agreement, Kakao Mobility's proprietary driving AI model will be combined with Nvidia's computing infrastructure, sensing technology and safety systems. Level 4 refers to vehicles that drive themselves without driver intervention within defined conditions and zones. Kim Jin-kyu, vice president of Kakao Mobility's physical AI division, and Gaurav Agarwal, senior director of Nvidia's automotive business, attended the signing.

What Nvidia brings

Kakao Mobility has been testing its technology in downtown Gangnam and is refining an end-to-end (E2E) approach, in which a single AI model handles everything from perception to decision-making. The company plans to adopt a high-performance autonomous driving computing unit (ADCU) equipped with two Nvidia DRIVE AGX Thor platforms to process large AI workloads in real time.

It will also use Nvidia's Hyperion sensor and computing reference architecture to improve compatibility and system stability across the vehicle, sensors and compute hardware. Nvidia's Halos safety system will be applied to software development and validation, with the goal of verifying safety from development through live service.

Link to Kia

In July, Kakao Mobility signed a partnership with Kia to develop PBVs for autonomous services. The company now plans to integrate its software with Nvidia's AI computing and safety technology in those vehicles, and to pursue development and supply of Level 4 service vehicles.

Kakao Mobility CEO Ryu Geung-sun said the partnership will speed up E2E refinement and help build a global ecosystem linking software, components and automakers. Rishi Dhall, Nvidia's vice president of automotive, said he expects the collaboration to accelerate safe, scalable autonomous services in Korea.

The company intends to validate the technology and build a commercial foundation in South Korea first, then explore overseas expansion over the medium to long term.

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Tags:kakao mobilitynvidialevel 4autonomous drivingkia pbvdrive agx thor