An 8km Autonomous Bus Runs Between Gyeongbuk Provincial Office and Gyeongbuk Development Corporation... Weekday-Only Operation for One Month Trial

Level 3 Test Drive Ceremony on the 17th

Expanded to Bomun Complex and Hahoe Village

On the 17th at 4 p.m., Gyeongbuk Province will hold a ‘Test Ride Ceremony for Autonomous Shuttle Bus in the Provincial Government New Town’ in the yard of the Gyeongbuk Provincial Government Office to mark the official test run of the autonomous driving-based public transportation service demonstration project within the new provincial government town.

The test ride ceremony will be attended by about 50 people, including Lee Cheol-woo, Governor of Gyeongbuk Province, Gyeongbuk Provincial Assembly members Kim Dae-jin and Lee Hyung-sik, and officials from traffic-related organizations such as the Gyeongbuk Police Agency, who will experience the autonomous shuttle bus running on actual road test sections.

Autonomous Bus Operation Route.

This test ride event was prepared to announce the start of the shuttle bus test run with Level 3 (conditional automation) autonomous driving technology among the autonomous driving stages (Levels 0 to 5) in the new provincial government town, which was applied as Gyeongbuk Province’s first autonomous driving pilot operation district, and to allow participants to experience autonomous driving technology firsthand through actual boarding.

Level 3 means that the autonomous driving system drives within a limited range such as highways, and the driver intervenes only when necessary (e.g., unclear lane markings, bad weather, protection zones for vulnerable road users).

Starting with this test ride event, one shuttle bus will operate on a demonstration route of 8 km between Gyeongbuk Provincial Government Office and Gyeongbuk Development Corporation five times a week on weekdays for one month until May 16, and after the test run, the operation sections and frequency will be gradually expanded.

An official from Gyeongbuk Province said, “It takes 30 minutes for one trip, with the shuttle bus running six times a day between the Gyeongbuk Provincial Government Office and Gyeongbuk Development Corporation. The autonomous shuttle bus will operate free of charge.”

In preparation for the future automobile era, Gyeongbuk Province applied for the new provincial government town as an autonomous driving pilot operation district in January.

Once the pilot operation district is designated in June and stable demonstration conditions are established, it is expected to accelerate the provision of various autonomous driving services in passenger and freight transportation sectors for residents.

Gyeongbuk Provincial Government Office

Also, in cooperation with many local universities, companies, and research institutes related to autonomous driving, including Kyungil University and Autonomous A2Z (A2Z), which are conducting this test run, Gyeongbuk Province expects a synergy effect among industry, academia, and research for the future development of the regional automobile industry.

In particular, Autonomous A2Z, headquartered at Kyungil University, was established in 2018 and has received over 10 billion KRW in domestic and international investments to date. In March, it ranked 13th in the world in the comprehensive autonomous driving technology rankings, making it a top startup company in the domestic autonomous driving industry.

Gyeongbuk Province plans to build an advanced transportation infrastructure system in line with the completion of the second phase construction project of the new provincial government town in 2025 to expand autonomous driving following the test ride ceremony.

While further strengthening safe autonomous driving operations, the province plans to expand autonomous driving services to public transportation vulnerable areas, Hahoe Village, and Gyeongju Bomun Complex to reduce public transportation waiting times and alleviate traffic congestion, thereby enhancing transportation welfare for Gyeongbuk residents and tourists.

Governor Lee Cheol-woo of Gyeongbuk Province said, “Starting with the new provincial government town, we will create Gyeongbuk equipped with advanced transportation infrastructure optimized for the commercialization of autonomous vehicles,” adding, “We will support Gyeongbuk-style advanced autonomous driving services linked with national projects such as revitalizing the new town, improving residential conditions, and building tourism infrastructure.”

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