South Korea Drops Data Privacy Requirement for Autonomous Vehicle Testing
South Korea Drops Data Privacy Requirement for Autonomous Vehicle Testing
Publish Date: 2026-02-20 10:58:00
Source Domain: eletric-vehicles.com
South Korea’s National Assembly approved amendments to the Act on Promotion and Support for Commercialization of Autonomous Vehicles during Thursday’s plenary session.
The key revision allows automakers and other entities with vehicles under temporary driving permits to use video data collected from autonomous vehicles for performance and safety improvements in R&D without requiring anonymization or pseudonymization.
Previously, operators were required to blur or anonymize personal information — such as faces and license plates — before using video footage in development, a requirement that slowed the data pipeline for training autonomous driving systems.
The decision comes as South Korea continues to expand its role as a testing ground for autonomous driving technology, supporting domestic brands like Kia and Hyundai as well as international ones such as Tesla.
How the Law Has Evolved
The Act on Promotion and Support for Commercialization of Autonomous Vehicles was first proposed by the Chair of the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee in April 2019 to provide legal support and incentives for AV technology development and commercialization.
It was officially promulgated in July 2021, establishing the basic regulatory framework, including rules for designated autonomous vehicle testing zones and certification systems to support connected and cooperative driving infrastructure.
In March 2024, the National Assembly passed a further revision of the Act, expanding the regulations to better prepare for Level 4 automation and commercial deployment.
That revision officially took effect last March.
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) announced a legislative notice for a partial amendment to the Act, collecting public opinions until Thursday.
The latest revision introduced performance certification and conformity approval procedures for AVs pending finalized…
