Seoul City Opens Future-Oriented Central Bus Stop 'Smart Shelter'... Advanced ICT and Air Purification Technologies Applied

Sequential Opening of 10 Locations Including Hongdaeipgu and Hapjeong Stations from the 27th
Fully Equipped with Air Conditioning, Air Purification, Wi-Fi, and Safety Facilities...Significant Improvement in Public Convenience

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Seoul City announced on the 26th that it will officially open the central bus stop ‘Smart Shelter’ to realize future-oriented transportation services. The Smart Shelter, introduced 10 months after the pilot installation began in October last year, will start operating at 10 locations including Sungnyemun bus stop on the 19th, Hongdae Ipgu, and Hapjeong Station.

The Smart Shelter was introduced to improve the outdated and inconvenient old bus stop environment and enhance citizen convenience through cutting-edge transportation services. The existing bus stops, which had been in place for over 15 years since their initial installation, were exposed to harsh cold and heat, fine dust, and exhaust fumes, causing many complaints from users.

With the newly introduced Smart Shelter, inconveniences experienced in daily life due to seasonal and weather conditions are expected to be resolved, providing a more comfortable bus service. In particular, bus boarding and alighting, platform guidance, and all IoT devices will be controlled by AI, enabling advanced services that can reflect the real-time needs of users.

The main facilities of the Smart Shelter, including safety facilities, air quality purification systems, bus traffic information facilities, and convenience facilities, provide citizens with a convenient and safe transportation environment in everyday urban life. Additionally, solar panels installed on the Smart Shelter produce eco-friendly energy directly, reducing power consumption through continuous power monitoring, installation of low-power IoT devices, and efficient energy usage management utilizing big data.

Use by transportation-vulnerable groups is also expected to become more convenient. The Smart Shelter, designed with universal design to ensure convenience for all citizens, is linked with low-floor bus usage. When a disabled person, a transportation-vulnerable user, presses the boarding waiting button, the expected arrival time of the low-floor bus is notified, and the driver is also informed that a disabled person is waiting at the Smart Shelter. Furthermore, foreign language guidance and voice guidance services for the visually impaired are provided, and the emergency bell is automatically connected to the police precinct, enhancing safety.

Seoul City plans to establish a foundation for expanding Smart Shelter installations through the pilot operation by collecting and accurately analyzing revenue and cost data related to bus stop operations.

Meanwhile, Seoul City will also implement thorough quarantine measures and preventive strategies to provide safer services without concerns about COVID-19.

Baek Ho, Director of Urban Transportation Office, explained, "Over the next two years of pilot operation, we will thoroughly analyze and supplement the feasibility, effectiveness, and inconveniences experienced by citizens during use, and carefully review the project period and appropriate project methods related to expansion installation to contribute to the mobility convenience of bus users.”

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