- Plug-and-play autonomous driving solution enabling immediate operation in any environment

- Founded by the cofounders of ThorDrive, an autonomous vehicle startup… Secured the Incheon Airport project within just 4 months after its founding

- NAVER D2SF to continue fostering collaboration opportunities between NAVER's autonomous driving technology and mobility startups

SEOUL, South Korea, Feb. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- NAVER D2SF has invested in the seed round of whereable.ai, an AI-powered autonomous driving startup. As Tesla and Waymo continue to lead the global autonomous driving market, whereable.ai is developing highly scalable autonomous driving technology.

whereable.ai is developing an AI-powered autonomous driving solution that utilizes self-supervised learning to recognize real-time road conditions and adapt to environmental changes through continuous learning and optimization. whereable.ai's technology processes data directly on devices rather than relying on cloud computing, allowing flexible adjustments to driving locations and routes according to customer needs. This plug-and-play solution enables immediate operation without requiring high-definition maps or additional infrastructure support.

whereable.ai was founded by the cofounders of ThorDrive, one of South Korea's first-generation autonomous driving startups. The team possesses full-stack autonomous driving technology and has accumulated extensive experience in technology commercialization and real-world applications across South Korea and the United States. Leveraging this expertise, whereable.ai formed a consortium with hy Mobility and ATEC Mobility in just four months after its founding, successfully securing a project for the deployment of autonomous mobility (AM) vehicles in the departure hall of Incheon International Airport's Terminal 2.

Currently, 10 autonomous indoor transport vehicles are undergoing test runs at Incheon International Airport, with official operations set to begin in the first half of 2025. Building on this momentum, whereable.ai has identified international airports as its primary target market and plans to expand into indoor and outdoor autonomous driving in large shopping malls, resorts, golf courses, campuses, and industrial facilities.

Yang Sanghwan, Head of NAVER D2SF said "whereable.ai, with its outstanding technical capabilities and extensive field experience, is well-positioned to quickly secure leadership in the indoor and low-speed vehicle (LSV) autonomous driving market." 

Meanwhile, NAVER D2SF is the corporate venturing arm of Korean tech company NAVER. Through its R&D subsidiary, NAVER LABS, NAVER continues to develop various cutting-edge technologies in autonomous driving, robotics, and digital twin. Currently, NAVER operates about 100 autonomous delivery robots ("Rookie") at the "Tech Convergence Building, 1784" an innovation hub integrating advanced technologies. NAVER D2SF remains committed to fostering collaboration between mobility startups and NAVER's technological ecosystem. 

About NAVER D2SF

NAVER D2SF is NAVER's corporate venturing(CV) arm, taking on greater challenges and fostering more sustainable growth through collaboration with startups. Founded in 1999, NAVER is a rare example of a domestic search engine that has maintained its top position in South Korea for over 20 years and has established a strong presence in various business sectors including commerce, content, fintech, and cloud services. In addition to its own offerings, NAVER is building a strong global business portfolio through partnerships with industry-leading companies, including Softbank, Poshmark, and Wattpad. NAVER recorded sales of KRW 9.6 trillion (USD 6.9 billion) in 2023. At the same time, under the technological vision of D2(For Developers, By Developers), we are actively developing new technologies and collaboration initiatives to grow into a global tech company.

To learn more, visit https://d2startup.com/en