Autonomous Driving Operations Rise Two Grades from D to B
Accelerating Technology Demonstration Preparations for the 2026 ITS World Congress
Gangneung City in Gangwon Province (Mayor Kim Hongkyu) received a grade B in the 2025 Autonomous Vehicle Pilot Zone evaluation conducted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, making it the only small or medium-sized city to rank among the top performers. As a result, Gangneung City has gained significant momentum in preparing for autonomous driving technology demonstrations ahead of the 2026 Gangneung ITS World Congress.
Gangneung City received a grade B in the 2025 Autonomous Vehicle Pilot Zone evaluation conducted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. The photo shows a public awareness campaign for autonomous vehicles. Photo by Gangneung City
This evaluation was based on operational performance from January 1 to December 31, 2024, and assessed 36 pilot zones nationwide using four indicators and 12 categories to assign grades. Gangneung City improved by two grades, moving from a D grade in both 2023 and 2024 to a B grade this year.
Notably, this year saw the number of passengers on tourism-oriented autonomous vehicles more than triple on average compared to last year (from a monthly average of 286 to 878). The autonomous “Mashil Bus” serving remote routes, which launched in July, recorded 2,000 passengers and a cumulative 10,000 kilometers of operation over five months, demonstrating tangible progress.
Gangneung City also strengthened its promotional activities for autonomous vehicle technology this year, targeting local residents, external organizations, and foreigners. Initiatives included autonomous vehicle promotion programs linked to municipal briefings, test rides for foreign correspondents, and autonomous vehicle experiences for a visiting delegation from the Japan Transport and Tourism Research Institute, among others.
Building on this year’s achievements, the city plans to continue improving conditions for tourism-oriented autonomous vehicle operations and stabilizing services on remote routes, with the goal of achieving an A grade in the 2026 evaluation.
Mayor Kim Hongkyu stated, “By achieving a B grade as the only small or medium-sized city, Gangneung’s autonomous driving operational capabilities have been recognized nationwide. We will further strengthen our operations to ensure a successful technology demonstration at the 2026 Gangneung ITS World Congress.”
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