Eight new districts, including Yeouido and Cheongwadae in Seoul, and Chungbuk Innovation City, have been newly designated as autonomous vehicle pilot operation zones. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 22nd that this decision was made after deliberation by the Autonomous Vehicle Pilot Operation Zone Committee.
An electric autonomous bus parked near the National Palace Museum in Jongno-gu, Seoul / Photo by Yonhap News
The newly designated pilot operation zones include Yeouido and Cheongwadae in Seoul, the Hapjeong to Cheongnyangni section of the central bus-only lane, Chungbuk Innovation City, Chungnam Naepo New Town, Gyeongbuk Provincial Government New Town, Gyeongnam Hadong, and Jeju Advanced Science and Technology Complex, totaling eight locations.
The existing pilot operation zones, Cheonggyecheon in Seoul and Daegu Technopolis (areas of Suseong and Dalseong districts), have had their sections expanded.
Autonomous vehicle pilot operation zones are areas where special exceptions related to autonomous driving services such as passenger and freight paid transportation can be applied, first introduced in May 2020. Including this additional designation, autonomous mobility services are now available in 24 districts across 15 cities and provinces nationwide.
The eight newly designated zones plan to focus on autonomous driving services centered on public transportation such as buses and shuttles. In the case of the central bus-only lane in Seoul, the nation’s first autonomous night bus will be operated, and in Chungnam Naepo, public services such as autonomous patrol for crime prevention and illegal parking enforcement will be provided.
This is the first time pilot operation zones have been designated in Chungnam, Gyeongbuk, and Gyeongnam. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport expects autonomous driving services to be implemented in most local governments nationwide.
Won Hee-ryong, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, "Through the 'Mobility Innovation Roadmap' announced last September, we planned to expand pilot operation zones to 17 cities and provinces nationwide by 2025, and this is being implemented faster than originally targeted. We will develop related policies in a well-structured manner so that key mobility innovation tasks can create synergy linked with the pilot operation zones."
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