KT Takes Initiative to Solve Electric Scooter Safety and Parking Issues... Signs Business Agreement

Demonstration of Intelligent Personal Mobility on Jeju Island

Lee Young-jun, Head of KT Chungnam-Chungbuk Corporate Customer Headquarters (from left), Kim Seong-ha, CFO of J-Bike, Lee Sang-heon, Director of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Transportation and Aviation Bureau, and Kim Yong-nam, CEO of Microworks, are taking a commemorative photo after signing a business agreement. Photo by KT

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Su-yeon] KT announced on the 18th that it has signed a business agreement with Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, Microworks, and J-Bike to develop and demonstrate ‘intelligent personal mobility.’

The four-party business agreement was signed on the 15th at the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Transportation and Aviation Bureau. The main content is to develop intelligent personal mobility equipped with AIoT (Artificial Intelligence of Things) and an integrated control platform, and to demonstrate them in Jeju Island.

Recently, shared mobility such as electric kickboards and electric bicycles has emerged as a major means of transportation in urban areas. However, issues have been raised regarding rider safety and devices being left unattended after return.

To enhance rider safety, the intelligent personal mobility is equipped with two cameras and an advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS). Additionally, video artificial intelligence analyzes the surrounding environment to prevent accidents. For example, when dangerous situations such as pedestrian collisions or vehicle proximity occur, the mobility automatically decelerates or stops.

Upon return, AIoT recognizes fire hydrants, crosswalks, and other parking areas to determine whether the user has properly parked the device in the correct return location. Penalties and rewards can be imposed on users depending on illegal parking. Even if illegal parking occurs, the integrated control system can immediately detect and retrieve the device, reducing citizen inconvenience and economic losses due to device loss.

For the project, KT provides cloud and Internet of Things (IoT) communication lines. Microworks builds AIoT control devices for mobility and a video control platform. J-Bike manufactures electric kickboards equipped with AIoT. Jeju Special Self-Governing Province serves as the demonstration stage, analyzing demonstration data and exploring ways to link with existing public transportation.

The demonstration is scheduled to take place in Jeju City for about three months starting January next year. Testers including employees, residents, and tourists will be recruited to gather diverse feedback and improve the service.

Kim Seong-ha, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of J-Bike, said, “We will continue various collaborations with companies possessing core technologies to create a virtuous cycle in the future mobility technology innovation ecosystem,” adding, “We will advance the AIoT-equipped shared electric kickboard G-Cooter K2 and expand services overseas to countries such as the United States and Thailand.”

Lee Young-jun, Head of KT Chungnam-Chungbuk Corporate Customer Division, stated, “KT will continuously discover areas that can enhance daily convenience such as establishing an advanced traffic culture and practicing ESG, and will advance technology,” and added, “We plan to cooperate to establish an autonomous driving ecosystem in the future mobility sector.”

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