Seongnam City Newly Designated as a Pilot Operation Zone
Seongnam-dong Area Selected as New 'Autonomous Vehicle Pilot Operation Zone'
"From Moran to Pangyo with Autonomous Driving" Pilot Operation Connecting Old and New City Centers
Seongnam City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor: Shin Sang-jin) has been designated as an 'Autonomous Vehicle Pilot Operation Zone' by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and will officially introduce urban autonomous shuttle services starting in February 2026. This pilot operation will take place primarily in Seongnam-dong, Jungwon-gu, connecting Seongnam High-Tech Valley and Pangyo 2nd Techno Valley. It is expected to be the first case of implementing Seongnam City's mobility-focused urban strategy as an actual transportation service.
The designation of this pilot operation zone aims to address transportation gaps caused by disconnections between the old and new city centers and the lack of direct routes between major hubs, by supplementing them with autonomous mobility services. Rather than replacing existing public transportation, Seongnam City plans to deploy autonomous shuttles on routes where transfer burdens are high or direct lines are lacking, thereby enhancing the continuity and convenience of citizen mobility.
The autonomous shuttles will operate from the Mobility Hub Center, which has been established at the outdoor parking lot of Seongnam Sports Complex near Moran Station, with one vehicle assigned to each of two routes. Route A is an 8.1 km one-way section connecting the old city center, including the area around Moran Station, to Pangyo 2nd Techno Valley. Route B is a 12.1 km circular route starting from the hub center, linking Seongnam High-Tech Valley, Moran Station, Sujin Station, Sinheung Station, and Dandaeogeori Station, which are major transportation nodes.
The shuttles will be operated on a trial basis for two years, aiming to begin service in February 2026. During this period, all citizens will be able to use the service free of charge. The operating hours will be from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays (with a break from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. for lunch), and the shuttles are expected to run approximately four times per day.
Each vehicle will have one safety manager on board, who will conduct pre- and post-operation vehicle inspections and respond to any unexpected situations that may arise during operation. While autonomous driving will be implemented throughout all routes as a principle, in areas prone to congestion, such as near Moran Station, manual driving may be introduced as needed to ensure safety. Citizens will be able to board at existing bus stops along the service routes.
Shin Sang-jin, Mayor of Seongnam City, stated, "This pilot operation is significant not only as a test of autonomous driving technology, but also as a step toward establishing it as a tangible public transportation service that citizens can experience in their daily commutes. We will gradually implement this initiative to enhance both connectivity between the old and new city centers and circulatory mobility within the old city center, so that autonomous driving becomes a change in citizens' lives rather than just a technological advancement."
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