Science Ministry showcases locally developed self-driving bus in Seoul

On Wednesday morning at Cheonggye Plaza in Jongno District, central Seoul, an autonomous bus smoothly began its route as the driver activated the engine and set the mode to self-driving.

Science Minister Lee Jong-ho, right, and Chairman of the Personal Information Protection Commission Ko Hak-soo,left, test ride an autonomous bus departing from Cheonggye Plaza in Jung District, central Seoul, on Wednesday. [YONHAP]

"Welcome aboard the 42dot self-driving bus."

On Wednesday morning at Cheonggye Plaza in Jongno District, central Seoul, an autonomous bus smoothly began its route as the driver activated the engine and set the mode to self-driving.

Traveling at 30 kilometers per hour (18.6 miles per hour), the "Cheonggyecheon bus" frequently switched to manual mode to avoid sudden obstacles like pedestrians or handle tailgating vehicles. The bus alternated between self-driving and manual modes during its route between Cheonggye Plaza and the Sewoon Shopping Center.

Developed by autonomous vehicle company 42dot, the self-driving bus was showcased at a field demonstration event organized by the Personal Information Protection Commission and the Ministry of Science and ICT near Cheonggye Plaza in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Wednesday morning.

A self-driving bus navigates Cheonggye Plaza in Jung District, central Seoul, on Wednesday. [NEWS1]

The bus operates on a three-kilometer circular route between Cheonggye Plaza and Sewoon Shopping Center. It is equipped with 11 cameras and six radars to gather real-time data on traffic and pedestrians, ensuring safe transportation for passengers.

The bus features a high-capacity battery that supports 300 kilometers of operation with just a 30-minute charge and operates at autonomous Level 3, where the driver interferes in driving only when necessary.

There are five levels of autonomous driving. Level 1 provides driver assistance by maintaining speed and lane-keeping, while the highest level can be fully driverless.

Given the current technological capabilities, navigating a bustling city without a driver remains challenging.

Around the Sewoon Shopping Center, in particular, side-parked cars and obstacles like discarded items are common and unexpected dangers such as motorbikes going the wrong way are frequent. This is why 42dot agreed with the Seoul City Government to run manually in the shopping area, the company said.

To address these challenges, the company plans to advance the system by "collecting high-quality data" and "gathering information on various emergency scenarios to reduce the accident rate."

The company also aims to implement measures to protect privacy by anonymizing pedestrian faces captured during operation and deleting this information after a certain period.

"We are working toward achieving Level 4 autonomous driving," said the company. At Level 4, the vehicle can handle most driving situations independently, requiring minimal driver intervention. "Our ultimate goal is to achieve fully driverless vehicles."

BY WOO JI-WON [woo.jiwon@joongang.co.kr]