Seoul to launch self-driving buses for early-morning commuters

A conceptual image of a self-driving bus service that will be offered in Seoul in the early morning hours / Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government

A self-driving bus service for pre-dawn hours will be launched in Seoul in the second half of this year. The service is expected to enhance convenience for early-morning commuters, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, Sunday.

The autonomous bus will commence service at 3:30 a.m., 30 minutes earlier than the first conventional bus, which usually starts operations at 4 a.m.

Similar to the self-driving buses that began nighttime services on Dec. 5, these buses will operate autonomously.

One or two of these extra buses will be operated before the first scheduled bus on existing routes.

The initiative is designed to cater to the needs of early-morning workers, such as street cleaners and office guards, who typically rely on the first bus of the day for their commute to work.

Passengers who ride on the first buses of the day typically spend more than one hour commuting. Therefore, they expressed a desire for an earlier commencement of bus operations, according to the city government.

In addition to the heightened demand, major routes from Seoul's peripheral areas to central areas of the city, like Gangnam and Yeouido, face notable amounts of congestion and safety concerns due to passengers standing inside crowded buses.

In the early morning hours, a challenge also arises due to a shortage of drivers, as bus drivers are typically reluctant to do the early shifts. Despite the need to extend bus operations, the limited supply of drivers poses a natural constraint.

In a strategic response to this challenge, the city plans to operate self-driving early morning buses, which are expected to fulfill passenger demand and expand bus services seamlessly, mitigating the constraints posed by the scarcity of bus drivers.

The 160 bus route / Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government

Initially, the 160 bus route, covering Dobongsan Station to Yeongdeungpo Station via Jongro, Mapo and Yeouido Station, over a distance of approximately 25.7 kilometers, will be the first route for the autonomous bus operation.

This route is considered the most congested among early morning buses, with more than 50 passengers riding on each of the number 160 bus during the dawn service.

Additionally, considering factors such as safety and the operational conditions of self-driving buses, the route was chosen as a top priority, according to the city government.

To prepare for the launch of these self-driving early morning buses, the city plans to establish essential infrastructure, such as configuring traffic signals. Collaborating with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the goal is to designate a pilot autonomous vehicle zone by July.

“As we empathize with the early risers in the city, we are committed to implementing a transportation policy that supports the vulnerable this year as well,” said Yoon Jong-jang, the head of the City Transportation Office at the Seoul Metropolitan Government.