Kakao Mobility will launch its ‘Kakao T Overseas Vehicle Call’ service in new regions including Australia, Taiwan, and the Middle East starting from November 30. Next month, they are also set to enter the U.S. market, the heart of the mobility platform scene.
The ‘Overseas Vehicle Call’ service allows users to request various modes of transportation in foreign locations through the Kakao T app. Currently operational in Japan, Southeast Asia, and Europe, this expansion will increase the service’s availability to a total of 37 countries worldwide by the end of this year, including the U.S.
Starting November 30, five countries will be added to the ‘Kakao T Overseas Vehicle Call’ service: ▲ Australia ▲ Taiwan ▲ United Arab Emirates ▲ Jordan ▲ Kuwait. It will connect with local major mobility services such as Silver Top (Australia), Yoxi (Taiwan), and Careem (Middle East), supporting local vehicle requests for taxis, premium sedans, and mid- to large-sized SUVs. This significant expansion of service areas from Eurasia and Southeast Asia to Oceania and the Middle East is expected to greatly enhance user convenience during overseas travel.
Kakao T users can navigate to the travel tab within the Kakao T app, select the ‘Overseas Vehicle Call’ icon, input their departure and destination in Korean, and choose their mode of transport to make a request. Service fees will vary based on local fares and service conditions.
As announced at the NEMO 2023 technology conference held in September, Kakao Mobility plans to start service in the U.S. later this year through a partnership with Lyft, a key partner in the global mobility intermediary platform ‘Split.’ This strategy aims to actively penetrate the largest mobility market in the world while bolstering their global capabilities.
Kakao Mobility’s CEO, Ryu Geung-seon, stated, “Through the expansion of the ‘Kakao T Overseas Vehicle Call’ service, we can now support seamless transportation for users around the world,” and added, “We will create and enhance various examples of global expansion, not only for the overseas vehicle call service but also to evolve beyond being a leading domestic platform into a true global mobility service.”
Meanwhile, Kakao Mobility is not only expanding the service area of ‘Kakao T Overseas Vehicle Call,’ which was first introduced in Japan in 2018, to a total of 37 countries this year, but it is also establishing a direct entry case into overseas markets by building local vehicle call infrastructure like Guam taxi. Recently, they have also initiated a cross-border app linking service, allowing foreign tourists visiting Korea to use the Kakao T taxi service through their own country’s apps, continuously expanding their reach as a global platform.
Jang Jin, daedusj@autodiary.kr