South Korea’s Mars Auto expands its self-driving truck operations across the U.S., with government support, advancing autonomous freight transportation.

South Korean autonomous trucking startup Mars Auto is moving forward with its Mars Auto expansion in the United States, supported strongly by South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE). On May 11, the company said it will grow its autonomous freight operations across the U.S. while improving its unmanned trucking technology through major government-backed AI programs.

Government support speeds up autonomous trucking development

Mars Auto has been selected for the “Regulatory Sandbox for New Industry Creation” program operated by the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT). Through the initiative, the company will receive 2 billion won in research and development support over the next two years. The program is designed to help companies whose technologies have already proven their commercial value through real-world regulatory sandbox projects.

Mars Auto is part of a national AI project focused on advancing self-driving vehicles. The project gives it access to powerful GPU systems, including NVIDIA Blackwell technology, to help develop fully unmanned trucks. It is also connected to the “AI Future Vehicle M.AX Alliance,” led by South Korea’s MOTIE and KEIT. Among 52 projects in the program, Mars Auto’s work is the largest.

What has Mars Auto already achieved in South Korea

The company has already built a strong operational base in South Korea. In 2023, it launched paid autonomous cargo transportation services in partnership with major logistics companies after receiving regulatory sandbox approval from the government.

Some of its current achievements include:

  • More than 15 million kilometers of driving data collected

  • Eight regular autonomous freight routes in operation

  • Over 2,000 hours of real-world driving data gathered daily

  • A record-breaking route is already operating in America

Mars Auto is now focusing heavily on long-distance freight transportation in the U.S. through its “Team Korea” collaboration system involving Korean manufacturers and logistics companies.

One of its biggest achievements came earlier this year when it completed a 3,379-kilometer autonomous trucking route connecting the Port of Long Beach to Alabama and Georgia. The company says this is now the world’s longest single-route autonomous trucking operation.

CEO Ilsoo Park said the project represents a major example of collaboration between startups, corporations, and the government to bring Korean autonomous driving technology into global markets.

Future outlook

As Business Fortune observes, Korean Self Driving Truck in US with fixed autonomous routes in both South Korea and the United States increases the number of trucks deployed through the “Team Korea” network. By combining real-world driving data from both countries with advanced AI infrastructure, the company aims to accelerate the development of fully unmanned trucks by 2028 and strengthen its position in the global autonomous logistics market.