ThorDrive
ThorDrive, founded in 2016 as a spin-off from Seoul National University, develops the Thor Autonomous Suite for autonomous driving vehicles and operates in 10 cities across the USA and Korea.
Company Overview
ThorDrive is an innovative company focused on providing autonomous driving technologies. Established in 2016 as a spin-off from the research center at Seoul National University, Korea, ThorDrive has expanded its operations to 10 cities across the USA and Korea. The company has implemented its solutions across multiple vehicle platforms and offers diverse mobility services including logistics and passenger shuttles. ThorDrive has achieved significant milestones in the development and deployment of its autonomous systems, ensuring safety and efficiency in its operations.
Thor Autonomous Suite
The Thor Autonomous Suite is a comprehensive package developed by ThorDrive that includes software, hardware, and data services for autonomous vehicles. Key components of this suite are Thor AI Driver and Thor Connect. Thor AI Driver offers advanced features like AI-based sensor function object detection, high-precision localization, AI-based decision making, and optimal route and velocity planning. Thor Connect facilitates workplace digitalization, fleet management, 3D digital maps, connected sensing infrastructure, integrated operations, and more. It also supports API for third-party integration, enhancing the capabilities of existing fleet management systems.
Global Operations
ThorDrive operates in 10 cities across the USA and Korea, supporting ten different vehicle platforms. The company's diverse mobility services range from airport ground handling to last-mile delivery and passenger shuttles. Notably, ThorDrive has completed over 180,000 km of autonomous driving in South Korea and 40,000 km in the USA, all without safety incidents. Major initiatives include launching the autonomous indoor electric vehicle 'Air Ride' at Incheon International Airport and testing autonomous ground support equipment at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.
Funding and Recognition
ThorDrive has successfully raised substantial funding to support its innovative projects, including KRW 20 billion in February 2022 and KRW 8.4 billion in April 2020. The company's innovation and achievements have garnered recognition and awards, such as the Presidential Citation for Mobility Innovation from the Korea Transportation Safety Authority in 2023 and being named 'FTE startup idol 2022' by Future Travel Experience. Additionally, ThorDrive was selected as one of 'KOREA AI STARTUP 100' by the KOREA AI One team in both 2021 and 2022 and recognized as 'BIG 3 Autonomous Driving Company' by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, Korea in 2020.
Significant Projects
ThorDrive has been at the forefront of several significant pilot projects and collaborations. In 2015, it launched Korea's first university campus robo-taxi 'SNUVer' at Seoul National University. The company also initiated last-mile delivery pilot services with ACE H/W Store in Palo Alto, California in 2018 and with E-mart in Seoul, Korea in 2019. In 2020, ThorDrive developed the world's first indoor autonomous passenger shuttle for Incheon International Airport and conducted a pilot project for the U.S.' first autonomous tow tractor for airports at Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport.