Seoul to Abolish Autonomous Vehicle Regulations... Gradual Lifting of Seat Belt and Standing Bans

Revision of the "Autonomous Vehicle Safety Operation Regulations"
Exemption from Suspension of Operations Due to Heavy Rain and Snow
Close Discussions with Central Government on Eliminating Manual Driving Requirements

Going forward, autonomous vehicles operating in Seoul will be exempt from mandatory seat belt use and standing bans, depending on the operator's technological and demonstration capabilities.

On September 26, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it will amend the "Seoul Metropolitan City Autonomous Vehicle Safety Operation Regulations" to eliminate unnecessary local regulations that hinder the development of autonomous driving technology.

'Cheonggye A01,' a self-driving shuttle operating near Cheonggye Plaza in Jung-gu, Seoul. Seoul City

The key point is to allow related regulations in stages based on the operator's driving capabilities, operational routes, and demonstration results. This includes lifting the mandatory seat belt rule and standing ban for autonomous buses, as well as removing the "mandatory suspension of operation due to weather conditions" such as heavy rain or snow above a certain threshold.

Additionally, the city will work closely with central government agencies such as the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to gradually allow autonomous driving in areas where "manual driving obligations" are currently required, such as school zones-one of the major hurdles for Level 4 fully autonomous driving technology-depending on the operator's capabilities and demonstration results.

In the mid- to long-term, Seoul plans to identify regulations that hinder the advancement of autonomous vehicle technology and recommend their removal to the central government. For issues that require lengthy legislative changes, the city is considering utilizing the regulatory sandbox system to obtain special exemptions. Through these measures, Seoul aims to designate Gangnam and Sangam as "Level 4 Fully Autonomous Driving Technology Demonstration Barrier Free Zones." Currently, Seoul is the only city in the country operating "autonomous taxis," which require advanced technology to navigate routes, in Gangnam.

In addition, Seoul is also pushing to amend the "Ordinance on the Operation and Support of Autonomous Vehicle Pilot Zones." When granting permits for demonstration of passenger boarding technology and paid transportation to autonomous vehicle operators, the city will require the submission of plans to prevent the leakage of sensitive spatial data and personal information, as well as add an expert verification process. This reflects the need for security measures, as autonomous vehicles inevitably collect and use sensitive information such as high-precision maps, pedestrian faces, and vehicle license plate numbers during operation.

When autonomous vehicle companies submit checklists and data leakage prevention measures, security experts from the Security Subcommittee of the Seoul Autonomous Vehicle Pilot Zone Operations Committee will verify security vulnerabilities and compliance with various security policies. Yeo Jangkwon, Director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Transportation Bureau, stated, "We will continue to enhance the security and safety of autonomous vehicles and comprehensively improve regulations and support to establish a foundation for Level 4 fully autonomous driving operations."

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