Photo : Joseph Kim, CEO of Vueron Technology

To celebrate the launch of Tech Seoul, we started interviewing CEOs of Korean startups. Today, for the ninth installment, we caught up with  Joseph Kim, CEO of Vueron Technology.

Hello, Mr. Joseph Kim, thank you for your time. I think this interview with Joseph Kim, CEO of Vueron Technology, a LiDAR-based software company, will be very interesting and informative for Tech Seoul readers.

Q. Please introduce your company  

Vueron Technology, a LiDAR-based software company, was founded in 2019. We provide VueOne - the LiDAR perception solution for autonomous driving - and VueTwo - the LiDAR solution for smart infrastructure. 

Our solutions deliver rapid and high-performance object perception in embedded systems with exceptional accuracy. With high applicability and stability, it enables optimized solutions for various customers.

By establishing branch offices in Silicon Valley and Munich, Vueron globally partnered with automotive OEMs, Tier-1s, governments, municipalities, system integrators (SI), and so on, developing practical LiDAR solutions to meet clients' requirements.

Q. What projects did you work on in 2023?

Vueron, in collaboration with numerous automotive OEMs and Tier-1s, deploys our advanced LiDAR perception software, VueOne, to enhance ADAS and autonomous driving systems. Beyond simply working on projects, we have evolved to respond to our customers' needs to build LiDAR-based mass-production vehicles and co-develop mass-production systems. 

Expanding on our own technology, Vueron has effectively implemented a Level 4 full-stack logistics service in collaboration with Team Fresh, which has a 90% market share of cold chain logistics in Korea. With our eco-friendly autonomous logistics solution, we serviced six days a week connecting the distribution center and customers, which led to a substantial social contribution.

VueTwo detects, classifies, and tracks physical security breaches without disrupting privacy, day or night in any environment. By deploying other sensors and systems, It is applied to traffic management, smart infrastructure, and so on in the smart city. Our technology has also been adapted to expand as a smart infrastructure solution in diverse environments such as smart cities and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). 

Following the Seoul Halloween Crowd Crush, Vueron developed Smart Crowd Analytics (SCA), a technology capable of detecting more than 6 individuals within 1㎡, crucial for accident risk prevention. After a successful test in Seoul, we've put Smart Crowd Analytics (SCA) into action. Now, we're looking at the possibility of expanding it to different places like municipalities, airports, department stores, and more.

Q. What's the story behind your comapny?

The founders of Vueron, the CEO and CTO encountered LiDAR sensors while developing autonomous driving systems at Hyundai's Autonomous Driving Center. The experience of developing LiDAR systems triggered our interest in the evolving landscape and potential of the LiDAR market. By observing its substantial growth attributed to increased utility in safety, security applications, and the rapidly growing field of autonomous driving, they recognized a distinct opportunity.

LiDAR is broadly classified into hardware and software; in the case of hardware, we regarded that it would be relatively easy to improve performance in many companies, which means we should focus on developing LiDAR software.  

Confident in their ability to develop specifically LiDAR software, the CEO and CTO made the strategic decision to establish Vueron. Their belief in surpassing industry standards in software development became the driving force behind the company's foundation.

Q. What does the meaning of success for you and your company?

The mission of Vueron is to make the world and people safer with our own advanced LiDAR perception technology. Our primary objective is to deploy our LiDAR software into mass-produced vehicles, aiming to offer a safer driving experience for as many people as possible. A secondary objective is to provide people with a convenient life by adapting LiDAR to various places where we live, such as roads, downtowns, and factories, and to contribute to the massification of LiDAR. 

By achieving these objectives, Vueron aspires not only to achieve corporate growth and profitability but also to establish itself as a company dedicated to advancing societal safety. 

Through our innovative LiDAR solutions, we hope to make substantial contributions toward creating a safer and more secure world for all.

Q. Where do you see your company in three years?

In the autonomous driving market, Vueron will be the first LiDAR perception software company to secure a mass-production contract for a single vehicle. We plan to grow and become a leader in LiDAR software by expanding into mass production for various vehicles.

In addition, we will lead the smart infrastructure market through the mass supply of LiDAR software for various markets, such as ITS, safety, and security.

Our goal is for Vueron Technology to be the standard in the LiDAR software industry within the next 3 years.

Q. Thank you for your time today. We wish Vueron Technology's endless development  Lastly, please say hello to the readers of Tech Seoul.

It was an honor to say hello to the Tech Seoul audience. At Vueron, we believe in the transformative power of technology to recreate the world, and we aspire to exert a positive impact on society. 

Our mission is reflected through our endeavor to enhance global safety and intelligence using our cutting-edge technology. Beyond software providers, Vueron will become a tier 1 company for LiDAR technology that can take care of the entire LiDAR module and set the standard for lidar solutions. 

Stay tuned for more news and accomplishments from Vueron!