Autonomous Cars Run in Sangam, Seoul... Passenger Autonomous Cars Operate from the 30th, Free for 1 Month

By the End of December, 3 More Vehicles Including 1 Autonomous Bus Added, Expanding to a Total of 6... Mayor Oh Se-hoon Boards as First Passenger
Paid Transport to Start in January Next Year... Autonomous Passenger Car Fare Set at 3,000 Won, Bus Fare Below 1,200 Won

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The operation of autonomous vehicles as a freely accessible mode of transportation for citizens is set to begin in Sangam-dong, Seoul, designated as an ‘Autonomous Vehicle Pilot Operation Zone.’

According to Seoul City on the 29th, starting from the 30th, three passenger car-type autonomous vehicles will run between DMC Station, apartment complexes, and office areas. Passengers can summon the vehicles via a smartphone app and board them. By the end of December, three additional vehicles, including one autonomous shuttle bus circulating between DMC Station, World Cup Stadium, and World Cup Park, will be added sequentially, expanding the fleet to a total of six vehicles.

Seoul City plans to operate the service free of charge for about a month to allow citizens to experience autonomous vehicles, then switch to a paid transportation service starting in January next year.

Before the full-scale operation of autonomous vehicles, Seoul City will hold a paid autonomous vehicle transportation proclamation ceremony at the Esplex Center Plaza in Sangam-dong, marking the beginning of the autonomous vehicle era as a mode of transportation for citizens. Mayor Oh Se-hoon will ride as the ‘first passenger,’ traveling approximately 2.9 km from the Esplex Center in Sangam-dong to in front of Gugak Broadcasting. The ceremony will be attended by key figures including National Assembly member Lee Heon-seung (Chairman of the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee), Eo Myeong-so, Director of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s Transportation and Logistics Office, as well as representatives and officials from five autonomous vehicle companies such as 42dot and SWM.

At the proclamation ceremony, two companies, 42dot and SWM, which will be the first to start paid autonomous vehicle transportation in Sangam, will receive limited transportation licenses for paid autonomous vehicle services. Mayor Oh will award the first license to 42dot CEO Song Chang-hyun and the second license to SWM CEO Kim Ki-hyuk.

To use the autonomous vehicles, users can download the smartphone app (TAP!) from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. However, from the 30th to the 4th of next month, the service will operate on a reservation basis, with reservations opening to citizens from the 6th. The smartphone app (TAP!) is provided by 42dot, the autonomous vehicle transportation platform operator in Seoul. During the one-month free operation period, Seoul City will collect various opinions from citizens and experts to supplement and improve the service, conduct final verification, and officially launch paid operations in January next year.

According to related ordinances and the resolution of the ‘Seoul Autonomous Vehicle Pilot Operation Zone Management Committee,’ the fare is proposed to be 1,200 KRW for buses and up to 3,000 KRW for passenger-type autonomous vehicles. Relatively lower fares will be charged depending on each company’s discretion. Seoul City aims to introduce and operate more than 50 autonomous vehicles in the Sangam area by 2026, establishing them as a daily transportation option for citizens and making Seoul a standard model city for autonomous driving.

Following the paid autonomous vehicle transportation proclamation ceremony, Seoul City will co-host the ‘2021 Autonomous Driving Challenge (University Student Autonomous Vehicle Competition)’ with Hyundai Motor Company at the ‘Autonomous Vehicle Pilot Operation Zone’ in Sangam. The Autonomous Driving Challenge is a public-private cooperative initiative aimed at expanding the base of autonomous driving technology development and discovering and nurturing talent related to autonomous driving.

Mayor Oh Se-hoon stated, “Autonomous vehicles will begin operating as a mode of transportation for citizens in Sangam-dong. Early next year, we plan to operate urban-type autonomous buses in Cheonggyecheon and expand autonomous vehicle operations such as robo-taxis in Gangnam through cooperation with private companies.” He added, “Co-hosting the Autonomous Driving Challenge is expected to serve as an opportunity to promote the development of outstanding talent who will lead the future autonomous driving industry through collaboration between world-leading private companies and the public sector.”