Parking robots capable of lifting 1-ton cars showcased in Gangneung

The 2026 Gangneung ITS World Congress featured over 400 booths demonstrating future mobility technologies, including unmanned robots capable of lifting 1-ton passenger cars and performing autonomous parallel parking.

A robot effortlessly lifted a heavy passenger car and rotated in place to attempt parallel parking. Watching the robot move with precision without a driver, onlookers at the scene jokingly marveled, asking if a driver's license should be issued to the robot.

The 2026 Gangneung ITS (Intelligent Transport Systems) World Congress, where interns and deputy directors from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport participated to experience future transportation technologies, realized a vision of mobility encompassing autonomous driving, AI, and drones. With over 400 booths installed, the congress served as a venue to view technologies that make daily movement safer and more convenient at a glance.

From navigation to transit cards... ITS deeply integrated into daily life

ITS is not merely a future technology but has already become a part of daily life. An official from the Korea Pavilion explained that ITS plays a core role in navigation by collecting traffic information on the road to provide routes and estimated travel times to destinations. Representative examples of applied ITS technology include real-time bus arrival information and services that allow users to connect buses and subways using a single transit card.

The exhibition was structured to connect the past, present, and future of technology. The Korea Pavilion covered everything from the introduction stages of Korean ITS technology to its future vision, focusing on technologies that protect drivers from unexpected road situations and increase mobility efficiency.

From unmanned parking robots to AI road work robots... the evolution of mobility

The Future Mobility Pavilion drew attention through the combination of autonomous driving and robotic technology. A particularly notable technology was the unmanned parking robot solution. This robot possesses the performance to lift not only passenger cars weighing approximately 1 ton but also heavier electric vehicles. The robot demonstrated the precision of mobility technology by checking the alignment of the vehicle's wheels and then moving to the desired position to perform parallel parking autonomously.

AX (AI Transformation) technology, where artificial intelligence changes the transportation environment, was also introduced. In the AX Pavilion, which gathered the results of 18 projects selected for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's "AX Sprint Project," the AI Road Saver technology was demonstrated. This technology helps robots replace humans in performing dangerous tasks at road construction sites. The core of the technology is that while the robot performs road painting work, it moves the safety zone in accordance with changes in the construction area to ensure worker safety. This was presented as an alternative that can drastically reduce the accident risks faced by road signalers.

Drones soaring through the sky... emerging as a core for rescue and delivery

The realm of future transportation is expanding beyond the ground to the sky. The potential use of drones was also discussed in depth at this congress. While drones were once limited to individual hobbies, they have now evolved into key means for logistics and safety. In fact, drone-based deliveries were carried out across 166 subway lines last year, and their utility was proven in disaster sites, such as rescuing individuals stranded in tidal flats.

At the scene, a deputy director from the Advanced Aviation Division demonstrated drone piloting to show the accessibility of the technology. Beyond simple flying objects, drones are establishing themselves as an important pillar of future mobility that connects places difficult for ground transportation to reach and maximizes urban mobility.

Source: original video (YouTube)