Kakao Mobility to develop mobility platform with Vietnam’s Phenikaa

South Korea's Kakao Mobility and Vietnam's Phenikaa Group have entered into a business agreement to foster technology collaboration within the mobility platform sector.

Kakao Mobility, which joined the economic delegation accompanying President Yoon Suk Yeol's state visit to Vietnam, made the announcement on Tuesday.

Phenikaa Group, with its subsidiary Phenikaa-X specializing in autonomous driving and robotics technology, along with its flagship mass transit platform, Phenikaa MaaS, is actively developing cutting-edge smart mobility solutions.

The collaboration between Kakao Mobility and Phenikaa Group will center around the service-oriented Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) sector.

Kakao Mobility plans to share its platform development expertise with Phenikaa MaaS, enabling joint exploration of future mobility advancements such as autonomous driving, high-precision mapping, and artificial intelligence (AI) technology, leveraging Phenikaa-X's core competencies.

Notably, Phenikaa-X, a startup incubated under Phenikaa University, made headlines in 2021 by introducing Vietnam's first autonomous vehicle.

The partnership also seeks to identify opportunities for overseas expansion in neighboring Southeast Asian markets. Potential initiatives include the integration of Phenikaa MaaS's BusMap app with Kakao Mobility's platform, fostering the revitalization of the tourism industry in both countries.

"Through extensive collaboration, we aim to contribute to the mobility industry ecosystems of both countries, leveraging our collective advancements in autonomous driving and AI technology," CEO of Kakao Mobility Ryu Gung-seon said. "Additionally, we endeavor to enhance travel convenience between Korea and Vietnam, further supporting the growth of tourism industries in both nations." 

"This collaboration is an opportunity for both companies to strengthen their capabilities and become strategic partners capable of developing and introducing world-class smart transportation technologies," CEO of Phenikaa-X Le Anh Son said. 

During President Yoon's state visit to Vietnam, Kakao Mobility actively engaged in economic cooperation, participating in key events such as banquets with economic delegations and the Korea-Vietnam Business Forum.

The company also held fruitful discussions with promising Vietnamese startups and signed significant business agreements with VinGroup, Vietnam's largest private company, to promote eco-friendly electric vehicles and autonomous driving initiatives.

Moreover, Kakao Mobility explored technology and talent exchanges with FPT, Vietnam's largest ICT company, further reinforcing its commitment to fostering collaborations within the industry.

Write to Seung-Woo Lee at leeswoo@hankyung.com