"No Driver's Seat at All"... Autonomous Bus Now Operating in Seoul

First City Operation of "Driver's Seat-Free" Autonomous Bus
4.8 km Round Trip from Cheonggye Plaza to Gwangjang Market
Free Rides at Launch, Fares to Be Introduced in Second Half of Next Year
"Test Operator On Board... Not Yet Fully Unmanne

An autonomous bus without a driver's seat has begun operating in the Cheonggyecheon area of Seoul. While autonomous taxis and buses have previously operated on certain routes within the city, this marks the first case of an autonomous public transport vehicle operating without a driver's seat or steering wheel.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the autonomous shuttle bus route "Cheonggye A01," which does not have a driver's seat, will begin operation at 1:00 p.m. on September 23. Cheonggye A01, which can accommodate eight passengers, will run between Cheonggye Plaza, Cheonggye 3-ga (where Sewoon Sangga is located), and Cheonggye 5-ga near Gwangjang Market, covering a round-trip distance of 4.8 kilometers with two vehicles circulating the route. The shuttle will stop at a total of 11 stations in both directions and will operate on weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:50 p.m., excluding lunchtime.

The autonomous shuttle bus "Cheonggye A01," operating around the Cheonggyecheon area in Seoul, will begin service on the 23rd. Photo by Seoul City

During the initial phase of operation, the service will be free of charge, but passengers must tap their transportation cards to board. The city plans to consider charging a fare in the second half of next year after a trial period. Even after fares are introduced, unlimited rides will be available with the Climate Companion Card, and transfer discounts will be applied as with the subway and city buses in the Seoul metropolitan area.

The Cheonggye A01 vehicles utilize "ROii," developed entirely with domestic technology by the Korean autonomous driving company Autonomous a2z. The interior is equipped with large displays providing information on autonomous driving status and route details, as well as convenience features such as a wheelchair lift.

Although Cheonggye A01 has no driver's seat or steering wheel, it is not yet at the "fully unmanned" stage. Previously launched autonomous buses for early-morning workers and late-night autonomous taxis all had driver's seats. These vehicles operate at "Level 3" autonomy, which requires driver intervention in certain areas or situations. Cheonggye A01, despite not having a driver's seat, will always have a test operator on board for safety and emergency response. A city official explained, "Because there is a test operator, it cannot be considered Level 4 autonomy, which requires no driver intervention at all. It is just a step more advanced than Level 3." Going forward, the city plans to continuously advance the technology, consider extending the operating hours into the night, expand the service area, and eventually develop a fully unmanned shuttle.

The city proclaimed the start of the "autonomous driving era" in 2021 with the announcement of the "Seoul Autonomous Driving Vision 2030." At that time, the city revealed plans to operate circular autonomous buses in Cheonggyecheon, a downtown attraction visited by 40 million people annually. Although autonomous buses began trial operations in November 2022, the service was suspended when the operator withdrew from the project. The city selected the current Cheonggye A01 route considering both the potential for public attention by deploying new technology near a major tourist destination and the fact that the Cheonggyecheon area had already been designated as an autonomous driving pilot zone.

In addition, the city has continued to expand autonomous vehicle operations. At the end of 2023, Seoul became the first city in the world to launch a free late-night autonomous bus service. Last year, early-morning autonomous buses for workers and late-night autonomous taxis in the Gangnam and Seocho districts also began operation. In June, following Dongjak District, the city plans to introduce "local companion autonomous buses"-village bus-style autonomous shuttles-in Dongdaemun and Seodaemun districts as well.

Yeo Jangkwon, Director of Transportation at the Seoul Metropolitan Government, stated, "You will be able to experience even more advanced domestic autonomous driving technology at Cheonggyecheon, one of Seoul's most popular destinations. We will continue to introduce advanced autonomous driving services throughout the city and do our utmost to demonstrate the global competitiveness of Korea's autonomous driving technology."