Hyundai Motor and Kia Successfully Complete 'Shurkle' Demand-Responsive Transport Pilot in Hungarian Small City

Hyundai Motor Company and Kia announced on November 5 that the pilot project for the demand-responsive transport (DRT) service 'Shurkle' in Hungary has been successful.

Hungarian Gdll's pilot project for Shurkle's 'Hungarian Demand-Responsive Transport Service'. Hyundai Motor Company and Kia

This pilot project was conducted over approximately 11 weeks, from August 18 to October 31, targeting residents of Godollo, Hungary. Godollo is a small city in northern Hungary with a population of less than 40,000. Five buses operate across all 12 public transportation routes in the city, resulting in low operational efficiency for public transit.

Unlike conventional public transportation that operates on fixed routes, Shurkle is a mobility service that generates real-time, dynamic routes in response to passenger requests. Based on artificial intelligence (AI) technology, it can predict passenger demand, efficiently allocate vehicles, and optimize route operation.

Hungarian Gdll conducted Shurkel's 'Hungarian Demand-Responsive Transport Service Pilot Project'. Hyundai Motor Company and Kia

During the pilot operation, Hyundai Motor Company and Kia deployed two Shurkle vehicles, serving a total of 2,950 residents through 3,138 ride requests. The average waiting time for vehicle dispatch, which was previously around 60 minutes with conventional public transportation, was reduced by 90% to approximately 6 minutes. Local residents commented, "It used to be difficult to go into town without a car or if you couldn't drive, but now you can get around anytime even without a car."

This pilot project was part of the Economic Innovation Partnership Program (EIPP), led by the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Korea Development Institute (KDI), with the aim of establishing a demand-responsive transport system and expanding eco-friendly mobility solutions in Hungary. EIPP is a program launched in 2020 to provide policy and technology consulting to major partner countries, fostering partnerships between public institutions and companies to support tangible outcomes in economic cooperation.

Kim Sooyoung, Executive Director of the Mobility Business Division, stated, "Through this pilot project in Hungary, we have demonstrated both the satisfaction of Godollo residents and the operational efficiency of Shurkle." He added, "Based on this pilot, we plan to accelerate global expansion through local partnerships."

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