KakaoMap tests ultraprecise bus tracking ahead of BTS concert

A poster for KakaoMap's pilot program for ultraprecise bus data / Courtesy of Kakao

Kakao is launching a pilot program for ultraprecise bus location data on its mapping platform KakaoMap, as part of emergency measures to improve transportation efficiency and public safety ahead of BTS’ concert Saturday at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul.

The company said it has teamed up with Seoul Metropolitan Government to provide ultraprecise bus location data for more than 420 city bus routes across Seoul for one week starting Monday. The pilot program applies to major city bus routes, excluding airport buses and neighborhood buses.

“We are working closely with the city to ensure transportation information is delivered seamlessly so that people can move around safely and comfortably,” Lee Chang-min, head of Kakao’s head of maps business development, said.

“Through this pilot, we will verify the effectiveness of ultraprecise traffic data and continue advancing our urban transportation information services.”

The initiative comes ahead of the K-pop juggernaut’s special live event to celebrate the group’s comeback after two years, “BTS The Comeback Live: Arirang.”

As it is expected to draw massive crowds, the program aims to help citizens and visitors use public transportation safely during the event.

For the past two years, KakaoMap and Seoul have been working together to build and verify a system for ultraprecise bus data, with plans to officially roll it out in the second half of the year.

In this pilot, location data will be transmitted more frequently, enabling users to track buses in real-time with higher accuracy even when routes are delayed, rerouted or affected by traffic. It will also help users explore alternative routes more easily on the platform.

“Seoul is leveraging real-time data to improve both safety and convenience for citizens,” said Yeo Jang-kwon, Seoul’s deputy mayor of the transportation office. “We plan to minimize inconvenience by delivering fast, accurate updates on traffic and bus locations on the day of the Gwanghwamun concert.”

On Saturday, KakaoMap will display detailed guidance for safe travel, including real-time road closures, high-traffic areas, portable toilets and on-site medical stations near the venue. Subway updates will appear on each station’s info page, while bus route and public transit pages will show detour and route updates to help users plan their trips more efficiently.