Gyeongju Bomun Complex Operates 9.4km Autonomous Shuttle Bus...No Driver Seat, Safety Staff Onboard

Driving Section to be Expanded by 12.85 km

Gyeongju City announced on the 8th that it will operate a free autonomous shuttle bus in the Bomun Tourist Complex for four months from the 10th of this month until April 10 next year.

This operation marks the first step for Gyeongju to leap forward as a smart tourism city by introducing autonomous vehicles connecting major tourist sites within the Bomun Tourist Complex.

Joo Nak-young, Mayor of Gyeongju City (front row, left), is riding an autonomous shuttle bus for an operation inspection.

The autonomous shuttle bus deployed on the circular route is a Type B autonomous vehicle (a driverless autonomous shuttle) operating one unit, running six times a day on a 9.4 km circular route that includes Gyeongju Hwabaek Convention Center, Hilton Hotel, Donggungwon, and Gyeongju World.

Boarding is available through QR code reservations and on-site boarding, and for passenger safety, safety personnel and operation managers are assigned to the vehicle.

The autonomous vehicle operates at a maximum speed of 40 km/h and is equipped with LiDar (detection distance and measurement radar) and GPS to enhance safety.

Before the official operation, Gyeongju City held a test ride event for the autonomous shuttle bus on the 6th at the Gyeongju Hwabaek Convention Center (HICO) and completed the final inspection.

Key officials, including Gyeongju Mayor Ju Nak-young, Gyeongju City Council Chairman Lee Dong-hyeop, and APEC Special Committee Chairman Lee Rak-woo, attended the test ride event, personally riding the autonomous vehicle and checking the operation readiness.

Gyeongju City plans to utilize the autonomous shuttle bus as a major transportation means ahead of the 2025 APEC Summit.

To this end, an additional budget of 1.2 billion KRW will be invested by next year to increase the number of autonomous vehicles to three and expand the circular route to 12.85 km.

Gyeongju City expects that operating the autonomous shuttle bus will symbolize the city as a convergence hub of advanced technology.

Mayor Ju Nak-young stated, “The operation of this autonomous shuttle bus is the first step for Gyeongju to leap forward as a smart tourism city,” adding, “We will showcase Gyeongju’s advanced mobility capabilities to the world at the 2025 APEC Summit.”

The mayor also emphasized, “Through this, Gyeongju will emerge as a smart city where history and advanced technology coexist harmoniously.”

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