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SK Telecom (NYSE:SKM) today announced that it won three awards in the categories of ‘Best Mobile Innovation for Automotive,’ ‘Best Use of Mobile for Accessibility & Inclusion,’ and ‘YoMo STEAM Activity for Young People Award’ at GSMA Global Mobile Awards 2020 (GLOMO Awards).

The prestigious GLOMO Awards, which enters their twenty-fifth year, celebrate the key innovations and achievements from both individuals and organizations across the mobile industry. The awards are judged by over 300 judges, comprised of analysts, journalists and academics. This year, the GLOMO Awards announced 37 winners in 9 different categories.

SK Telecom was named the winner of the ‘Best Mobile Innovation for Automotive’ category for its ‘Smart Fleet: Data Analytics Platform for Intelligent Mobility.’ The ‘Best Mobile Innovation for Automotive’ Award highlights best in class innovation in telematics, infotainment and the deployment of connected cars, vehicles and their associated services, products, applications and initiatives.

SK Telecom launched Smart Fleet, a mobility data analytics platform, to improve safety and convenience on roads and public transportation systems. The platform provides highly accurate real-time and predictive traffic data and V2X event data to prevent traffic accidents and alleviate congestion on public transportation. By accessing real-time data of traffic, accidents and crowd congestion, both B2C and B2B clients can perform integrated and optimized route planning for multimodal transportation. The platform can also be utilized for dispatch optimization for logistics and shared car applications.

The judges commented: “Interesting and advanced open platform data initiative to fight very real challenges.”

The company also won the ‘Best Mobile Innovation for Accessibility & Inclusion’ award for its ‘Driving Assistance Solution for Hearing-Impaired Taxi Drivers’. The ‘Best Mobile Innovation for Accessibility & Inclusion’ award recognizes universal design innovation in the vital development of mobile products, applications, services, devices and other initiatives and projects that enhance accessibility and inclusivity for billions of people afflicted with disabilities, both physical and mental impairments, as well as older users.

Jointly developed by SK Telecom and CO:ACTUS, Driving Assistance Solution for Hearing-Impaired Taxi Drivers provides communication solutions and safety features. SK Telecom implemented specialized features for the drivers on ‘T map Taxi’ passenger and driver apps. When a passenger calls a taxi through this app and is assigned with a taxi driven by a hearing-impaired driver, he/she is provided with a pop-up notice. CO:ACTUS developed Goyohan solution to enable smooth communication between hearing-impaired taxi driver and passengers. SK Telecom also developed the world’s first Advanced Driver Assistant System (ADAS) for hearing-impaired drivers, sending warning signals with vibration through a smartwatch.

The judges commented: “A thoroughly thought-out solution and an innovative application of mobile technologies that is fully tailored to the needs of its user community, deaf taxi drivers, with measurable socio-economic benefits.”

SK Telecom was also awarded with the ‘YoMo STEAM Activity for Young People Award’ for its ‘Happy Coding School for Adolescents with Special Needs.’ The YoMo STEAM Activity for Young People Award is introduced to recognize the value of STEAM-based educational initiatives, programmes, products, apps, services and devices that equip young people for this challenge and help bridge this ever increasing skills gap.

SK Telecom introduced its ‘Happy Coding School’, a social contribution program that aims to help disabled adolescents with their admission to college and their careers through ICT-based education, providing them the opportunity to grow independence. SK Telecom's ‘Happy Coding School’ is the largest professional software training program in Korea that improves cognitive ability and learning skills of disabled adolescents through coding education. Currently, 40 ‘Happy Coding School’ classes are being operated at special schools across Korea and the company aims to reach 1,000 students by the end of 2020.

The judges commented: “The impact of this to date is remarkable – the beauty and highly commendable aspect of this programme is its understanding that not all disabilities are the same.”

“SK Telecom is honored to receive three prestigious GLOMO awards as they highlight our efforts to contribute to creating a better society through breakthrough innovations in the field of ICT,” said SK Telecom.