RideFlux Autonomous Buses Hit the Streets of Central Seoul

Launch of the First Autonomous Public Transportation Service in Seodaemun District

Autonomous driving software startup RideFlux announced on October 13 that it will launch an autonomous public transportation bus service in Seodaemun District, Seoul.

The RideFlux autonomous buses in Seodaemun District, which begin operation today, consist of two small buses manufactured from the Solati model. Each vehicle can accommodate up to 12 passengers, and standing is not permitted to ensure user safety. The buses operate on a fixed route, picking up and dropping off passengers only at designated stops, just like regular community buses.

The buses run between Seodaemun District Office and Gajwa Station on the Gyeongui-Jungang Line, covering a distance of approximately 5.9 kilometers. They pass through key daily life hubs such as Seodaemun Culture & Sports Center, Baekryeon Market, and Gajaeul New Town. The service operates on weekdays from 9:20 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with buses running at intervals of about 25 minutes. Initially, rides will be free of charge, but the service will later transition to a paid system with fares matching those of regular community buses.

Because the buses operate along routes with high daily mobility demand among citizens, it is expected that public acceptance of autonomous mobility services will increase.

The buses are equipped with eight cameras, five LiDAR sensors, and one radar, enabling 360-degree real-time detection of surrounding vehicles, pedestrians, and objects. They are also connected to the Seoul City Control Center (Future Mobility Center), allowing real-time monitoring of the buses’ locations and autonomous driving status. Through the Cooperative Intelligent Transport System (C-ITS), the buses receive traffic data such as traffic signal information to provide a stable autonomous driving service. In addition, a safety officer is on board to respond to any unexpected situations during operation.

With the launch of this service in Seodaemun District, RideFlux has expanded its service areas to Seoul, following Jeju, Sejong, and Busan. The company plans to further expand to various key locations nationwide, including the Seoul metropolitan area and major regional cities, within this year. Notably, in Sangam, Seoul, RideFlux is currently conducting pilot operations of fully driverless autonomous vehicles (Driver-out) without a safety operator in the driver’s seat.

Park Junghui, CEO of RideFlux, stated, "Through this autonomous bus service in Seodaemun District, we hope that autonomous driving will become an integral part of daily transportation for Seoul citizens. RideFlux will continue to expand safe and reliable services so that more people in major cities across the country can experience autonomous driving."

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