SKKU AI Autonomous Driving Competition

Sungkyunkwan University successfully hosted the "4th Sungkyunkwan University AI Autonomous Driving Competition" at the Semiconductor Building lounge on the Natural Science Campus on Thursday, July 30. Held with the goal of nurturing core talent in the future mobility sector, the competition was divided into an AI Chip division and a Software (SW) division, with the entire event livestreamed on YouTube so that members of the university community and beyond could follow the competition in real time. In a particularly meaningful development, students from Gyeonggi Automobile Science High School took part as a special team, creating a stage where high school and university students competed and exchanged ideas in autonomous driving technology.

Participating students designed and implemented their own AI-based autonomous driving systems on small electric vehicles roughly one-fifth the size of an actual car, equipped with cameras, LiDAR, and ultrasonic sensors. The competition consisted of a "driving race," in which teams completed a designated track in the shortest time possible, and a "mission race," in which teams carried out a range of assigned tasks. Ahead of the competition, students strengthened their practical response capabilities by learning autonomous driving technology through preliminary training and mentoring programs.

A total of 51 teams (228 participants) — 24 teams in the AI Chip division and 27 teams in the SW division — competed fiercely in the preliminary round, with 15 teams from each division, 30 teams (128 participants) in total, advancing to the final round. On the day of the competition, in addition to the finalists and organizing staff, around 50 attendees including President Jibeom Yoo, industry experts, and professors were on hand to encourage the students and provide guidance on technology and career paths.

After a fierce competition, the Grand Prize (SKKU President's Award) went to Team "Eunjeya Hyundai Gaja" in the SW division and Team "425" in the AI Chip division. Team "Eunjeya Hyundai Gaja" was composed of Kim Sookyung, Kang Mincheol, Moon Seonbin, and Jeong Eunje from the School of Mechanical Engineering, and Kim Myeonggyun from the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering. Team "425" was composed of Kwon Kihyeok from the Department of Mathematics, Kim Taegeon from the Department of Data Science convergence major, Kim Yuchan from the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Park Hyeonseo from the School of Mechanical Engineering, and Kim Hoyong from the Department of Business Administration.

The competition served as a hands-on educational platform where students developed autonomous driving systems spanning both hardware and software on their own and verified their performance on an actual driving track. The combination of mentoring by participating professors and industry experts, the participation of the special high school team, and the live YouTube broadcast was recognized as an effort in which the university, high schools, and industry came together to broaden the base for nurturing future mobility talent.

Jae Wook Jeon, Director of the Future Mobility Bootcamp Project Group, stated, "I applaud the students who persevered through countless trial and error while preparing for this competition," adding, "I hope the valuable experience they gained here becomes a solid stepping stone toward taking on even bigger challenges."

President Jibeom Yoo said, "Autonomous driving technology for future mobility is a field that represents the convergence of cutting-edge technologies such as AI, software, and semiconductors, and it serves as a core driving force for realizing a safer, more convenient future society." He added, "I wholeheartedly support the participating students as they grow into the key talent who will innovate Korea's future mobility industry."

Meanwhile, the competition was hosted by SKKU's Future Mobility Bootcamp Project Group (Director: Professor Jae Wook Jeon), which was selected for the Ministry of Education's "Advanced Industry Talent Bootcamp Project (Future Mobility Sector)," and sponsored by Hyundai Mobis.