Hyundai Motor to Pilot 'Robo-Shuttle' Next Month in Sejong Smart City

Demand-Responsive Multi-Passenger Robo-Shuttle... Level 3 and 4 Autonomous Driving Technology Applied
Visits Stops After Identifying Passenger Demand... Increased Efficiency

[Asia Economy Reporter Yu Je-hoon] Hyundai Motor Company is launching a pilot service for a 'demand-responsive multi-passenger robo-shuttle' that combines artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous driving technology.

Hyundai Motor announced on the 13th that it will operate the robo-shuttle service on a trial basis for about two months from August 9 to September 30 in the smart city of Sejong Special Self-Governing City. The robo-shuttle is a compound word of Robot and Shuttle, referring to mobility equipped with autonomous driving technology in a multi-passenger vehicle.

To this end, Hyundai modified an 11-passenger Solati large van and obtained temporary driving permission for Level 3 autonomous vehicles from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Additionally, some core technologies at Level 4, which Hyundai is developing in-house, were applied.

Hyundai’s robo-shuttle features core technologies at Level 4, enabling the vehicle to recognize and judge driving situations on its own, and except for some limited situations, no emergency driver intervention is required.

Since last year, Hyundai plans to link this robo-shuttle service with 'Shuckle,' a demand-responsive mobility service operating in Sejong City’s 1st living zone. Shuckle is Korea’s first ride-pooling service launched last year by Hyundai’s AI-dedicated organization, AIRS Company. Passengers can call a vehicle through an app, which then operates along an optimally generated real-time route, allowing boarding and alighting at desired locations.

Starting from the 19th, Hyundai will recruit participants wishing to experience the robo-shuttle in Sejong City through the Shuckle app. The robo-shuttle service route covers 20 bus stops over 6.1 km between the Government Complex Sejong and the National Sejong Arboretum. The usage method is the same as the existing Shuckle service. When a registered passenger calls a vehicle at a stop via the app, the vehicle moves to the passenger’s location following the optimal route generated by AI algorithms.

Unlike fixed-route services, the robo-shuttle does not stop at all bus stops but only at necessary stops based on passenger demand identified through the app, enabling efficient operation. A Hyundai autonomous driving business division official said, "It is meaningful to introduce the robo-shuttle service, which links autonomous driving technology and AI mobility technology, to customers for the first time," adding, "We will gradually expand the fully autonomous driving service lineup to include robo-taxis and robo-delivery in the future."

Meanwhile, Hyundai plans to pilot the robo-shuttle service linked with Shuckle on shuttle bus routes circulating inside the Hyundai Motor and Kia Namyang Technology Research Center in the second half of this year. Additionally, a robo-shuttle pilot service is scheduled to be introduced in the Pangyo area of Seongnam City, Gyeonggi Province, in the first half of next year.

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