SK Telecom will be the nation’s first mobile carrier to test a driverless car on public roads. According to the company on Wednesday, it obtained approval to test a driverless car equipped with its so-called vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. The V2X technology is supposed to allow cars to communicate with sensors, cameras, traffic systems and other cars via fast internet networks such as the upcoming 5G networks. “We are not a complete auto maker,” a spokesperson from SK Telecom said. “But we are utilizing 5G networks to enable various internet-connected services on cars and to enhance the safety of autonomous driving as the internet can help cars better monitor and respond to traffic situations.” SK Telecom remodeled a Hyundai Motor Genesis brand G80 sedan and collaborated with graphic card maker Nvidia and a research team from Seoul National University to enter into the driverless car market. Now that it has approval for test-drives, it can accelerate development of key technologies for self-driving such as artificial intelligence software, 3-D high-definition mapping and other sensor technologies, the Korean telecom giant said in a statement. According to the carrier, its 3-D mapping technology is capable of capturing traffic lights and signs on roads. Since SK already operates a navigation app “T Map,” the carrier plans to make maps more precise so driverless cars can better recognize road conditions. With 5G networks, the V2X technology will allow cars to respond to incoming information in less than 0.001 seconds, the company said, far faster than the current 4G or LTE networks. Cars will be able to talk to each other to prevent potential accidents or avoid heavy traffic.