Bus Stops in Seoul Upgraded to 'Smart Shelters' ... First Launch in October

This Year, Pilot Installation of 10 Central Bus-Only Lanes Begins, Gradual Full Implementation
Air Purifier Installation Eliminates Fine Dust Concerns ... Free Wi-Fi and Heating/Cooling Systems Installed

A bus stop design that modernizes the graceful curves and eaves lines of a hanok

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] # IoT sensors are applied at bus stops so that buses stop precisely at designated locations, and passengers board safely through screen doors. Air purifiers operate on the ceiling of the bus stops, and vertical plant gardens are installed on the walls, creating a pleasant place free from fine dust worries even in the middle of the road.

Seoul City announced on the 9th that it will gradually upgrade city bus stops into such 'Smart Shelters.' This is the world's first futuristic bus stop integrating cutting-edge ICT technology, renewable energy, air purification facilities, and various other functions.

Existing bus stops have been exposed defenselessly to cold, heat, vehicle exhaust, and fine dust, and there have been criticisms about the lack of facilities to provide safety and convenience for vulnerable citizens. The central bus-only lane bus stops, installed with the opening of the central bus-only lane in 2004, are also aging after about 15 years.

The city plans to pilot the Smart Shelter at 10 central bus-only lane bus stops this year, unveiling them in October, and expand them throughout Seoul starting next year.

While some overseas cities have introduced bus stops specialized in certain functions such as heating/cooling or greening, Seoul is the first in the world to comprehensively integrate such diverse functions and services.

The city expects that the introduction of Smart Shelters will not only raise the level of public transportation services but also reduce social costs caused by fine dust damage and advance Seoul's smart city technological capabilities.

Smart Shelters will have solar panels to directly produce renewable energy and apply smart LEDs (with brightness and motion sensors) to improve energy efficiency. They will also be equipped with emergency devices such as CCTV, emergency bells, and automated external defibrillators, as well as facilities considerate of vulnerable users like safety handrails and voice guidance. Various municipal and lifestyle information can be checked through smart screens.

The design of Smart Shelters will incorporate diverse citizen opinions. Preference voting will be held until the 24th on three design proposals, including a modern reinterpretation of Hanok architecture, alongside an open call for free proposals.

Hwang Bo-yeon, Director of Urban Transportation at Seoul City, said, "Smart Shelters are futuristic bus stops that integrate various fields such as public transportation, smart cities, renewable energy, air quality improvement, urban greening, and safety cities. We hope that the world's first Smart Shelters will make citizens' lives safer and more convenient while serving as an opportunity to showcase Seoul's public transportation system and advanced technologies to the world."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.