Kia has begun testing a vehicle-sharing service based on remote driving using its PV5 electric van in Pangyo, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. The company says the program is the first of its kind in the country to integrate remote-driving technology with a vehicle-sharing service, with the pilot operation set to continue through the end of 2026.
How does the service work?
The user books the vehicle through a dedicated app, after which the PV5 van travels to the requested location without a driver inside, relying on remote-driving technology. After use, the customer parks the vehicle in a location of their choice, before a remote driver returns it to the garage using a wireless connection over 4G or 5G networks.
The service aims to test a more flexible vehicle-sharing model, as users do not need to travel to a fixed location to collect or return the vehicle. Kia believes the model could help companies improve the efficiency of vehicle operations and reduce the burdens associated with owning private fleets, but these benefits remain subject to verification during the field trial.
Who is behind the trial?
Kia is leading the project by providing the PV5 vehicles and overseeing the program. SUM is developing the remote-driving solution, while Mobiops is operating the service. The Korea Transportation Safety Authority is participating in regulatory reviews, while Gyeonggi Province, KT, UMOS ONE, the Next-Generation Convergence Technology Research Institute, and the Gyeonggi Car Rental Business Association are providing support as partner organizations.
A step within a broader regulatory and technological pathway
The trial follows Kia's receipt last April of a special exemption under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's regulatory sandbox for remote driving in Korea. In November 2025, the company established a remote-driving consortium with Socar, KT, and autonomous-driving startup SUM, and presented a remote-driving demonstration on public roads as the first demonstration by a domestic brand in Korea.
Kia also signed a memorandum of understanding with KT and SUM in July to strengthen the commercialization of remote-driving technology, and had previously announced its goal of launching the service within a year. The company plans to use data collected during the pilot operation to evaluate the technology and the feasibility of managing the service under real-world conditions, then continue developing and expanding a PV5-based service during 2027.
Why does this matter?
The project moves remote driving from the realm of technology demonstrations into a commercially testable service model, with the vehicle combining autonomous travel to the user with human remote control when it is returned. However, the source does not specify the detailed level of automation, procedures for handling connectivity failures and safety issues, or the service's terms of use and cost; therefore, its scalability will remain linked to the results of the tests and regulatory reviews.