[THE INVESTOR] Naver , the nation’s top internet portal operator, said on Feb. 20 its research and development subsidiary Naver Labs has recently gained government permission to test its own self-driving vehicle on designated roads.



This is the first time for a tech firm to get the license. A total of eight companies, universities and institutions have been approved to test-run their autonomous vehicles here.











Naver Labs – which became an independent company from Naver last month – has led Naver’s autonomous car push ranging from car parts to services such as car sharing.



Following the government permit, Naver Labs plans to upgrade its autonomous navigation technology, while further developing its Ambient Intelligence vision that aims to offer users service they need before they ask.



“Through these approved road tests, we believe the development of autonomous driving technology will be significantly accelerated and we will continue to work on safer and more convenient mobility,” said Song Chang-hyun, the head of Naver Labs.



By Alex Lee (alexlee@heraldcorp.com)