First autonomous bus service to use BRT roads launches

Korea’s first autonomous bus service to use Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) roads began operating today in Sejong City and was launched in a ceremony with the heads of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT), Sejong City and Chungbuk Province (충청북도).

The service brings us one step closer to MOLIT’s goal of operating highly automated (Level 4) buses and shuttles by 2025 which it announced earlier this year.

The new automated buses will run along the 22.4km BRT route between Osong Station, Sejong Government Complex, and Sejong Express Intercity Bus Terminal. It is part of the route that standard BRT services already use between Osong, Sejong and Daejeon, and will essentially be a part of the public transport system.

The bus will use the existing BRT route from Osong to Sejong.

It’s a significantly longer route than the 3.4km loop that the new autonomous shuttles do around the Cheongyecheon in Seoul, and no doubt other cities will be watching closely to see how this latest project unfolds. The new Sejong services use Level 3 vehicle autonomy, which means it can drive itself, but driver intervention is required in challenging conditions.

Although, the 42dot service in Seoul has a higher Level 4 rating (highly autonomous), they also operate at much slower speeds. It’s also been reported that drivers still need to intervene at times on Seoul’s service due to the number of objects on the roads in the area.

Free for a limited time during pilot period

Anyone can try out the service for free by booking a trip via the QR codes on posters at BRT bus stops or visiting Sejong City or Chungcheongbuk-do websites.

Services will only run between 12pm-4pm on weekdays, excluding public holidays. This is likely to manage initial demand from public interest and to make sure everything is working as it should. (Also probably to prevent rushing commuters trying to pile on board without a booking!)

One of these Apollo 750 electric buses will operate on the route.

Six services will operate every 40 minutes during the trial using three vehicles, one 14-seater electric bus and two diesel 15-seater buses. A driver will be present, along with a safety officer to help with using the service and to assist in the case of an emergency.

The two new autonomous buses in Sejong will have the numbers A2 and A3, and will run alongside other BRT services. All eight BRT stops along the route will be used during the trial.

Sejong a testbed for autonomous vehicles

You might ask – why Sejong? (Well, other than the fact that more than half the government are based there).

Sejong has long been a testbed for new transport initiatives due to its new predictable roads, less traffic, a well established BRT system, and its lower population. Others projects have included the bi-modal tram and safety sensors at pedestrian crossings that tell you to “get behind the line”.

Autonomous vehicles on display at an expo in Sejong in 2019.

A number of self-driving vehicles have been demonstrated and trialed in Sejong over the years as autonomous driving technology has developed. The city also holds an annual autonomous vehicle expo, where various self-driving vehicles are shown off and offer test rides.

After Sejong and Chungbuk were selected for the latest project, experts from the autonomous vehicle industry carried out a three-month trial and safety audit to ensure the new service would be reliable.

In November 2022, Sejong and Chungbuk were designated as pilot operation zones by MOLIT and relevant laws were changed by the Metropolitan Transportation Committee (대도시권광역교통위원회) so that self-driving vehicles could legally operate on BRT roads.

Current service to be extended, more services to follow

The new services will officially operate from today (28 December) until May 23 2023, but MOLIT says there are plans to extend this. After about three months, members of the public who have used the buses will be asked to give their thoughts on the service.

After considering this feedback and other information, the new service will likely switch to regular BRT bus fares.

An on-demand autonomous bus service is demonstrated in Sejong in 2019.

MOLIT Vice Minister Eo Myeong-so said, “These new autonomous BRT bus services are the first example of self-driving buses being introduced to arterial roads in Korea. In 2023, we plan to expand services to Banseok in Daejeon, followed in 2024 by major areas in the Chungcheong Province such as Cheongju Airport, Jochiwon, Gongju, Cheonan, and Asan.”

Other services in the pipeline that are part of the Ministry’s Mobility Innovation Roadmap revealed in September 2022 include on-demand transport, personal mobility services, and MaaS (Mobility as a Service) — which will combine both autonomous vehicles and personal mobility services.