Autonomous Bus on Naeseong~Jungdong BRT Section Launches "Late-Night Passenger Transport Service"

The autonomous bus operating on the Busan Naeseong~Jungdong Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) section will begin providing a "late-night passenger transport service" starting January 26, 2026.

The Busan Metropolitan Government announced that from this day, it will launch a late-night passenger transport service using autonomous buses on the BRT section connecting Naeseong Intersection and Jungdong.

This service will be operated on a trial basis from January 26 to June 30, 2026, running from 11:30 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. on weekdays. The service will not operate on the first Friday of each month.

Busan Autonomous Driving Bus BigAi Bus.

원본보기 아이콘

The route covers approximately 10.4 kilometers, running from Dongnae Station and Naeseong Intersection to Haeundae District Office Eogui Samgeori. The one-way trip takes about one hour, with four one-way trips (two round trips) per day. Buses are dispatched at 60-minute intervals. During the pilot period, fares are free; for official operation in the future, the city is considering charging the same fare as regular city buses.

To ensure safety, standing passengers are not allowed, and a maximum of 15 passengers can board each bus. All passengers must wear seat belts, and a safety officer will be on board every vehicle. The city plans to establish a comprehensive safety management system to prepare for unexpected situations and will strengthen inspections and management throughout the entire operation process-before, during, and after service.

The city will analyze driving data collected during operation to improve service quality and will also consider gradually expanding the operating hours and route coverage in the future.

This late-night passenger transport service was introduced based on the results of the autonomous bus pilot operation on the Naeseong~Jungdong BRT section, which ran for about two months from November 3, 2025, to January 23, 2026, and confirmed both driving safety and system stability. The city also explained that the stability and reliability of the service had been verified through citizen participation in the daytime passenger transport service previously conducted on the Osiria section.

During the pilot period, the city checked core autonomous driving technologies such as vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, precision map-based driving, and the stability of bus-only lane operation, as well as the system's ability to respond to unexpected situations and its overall reliability. Through these efforts, the city also verified the feasibility of stable operation in a real public transportation environment using dedicated BRT lanes.

Hwang Hyuncheol, Director of Transportation Innovation at the Busan Metropolitan Government, stated, "We are launching the late-night passenger transport service after thoroughly verifying the safety and reliability of autonomous buses through extensive pilot operations. We will strengthen our management system so that citizens can use the service with peace of mind even at night, and will gradually expand autonomous public transportation services."

Busan Naeseong~Jungdong BRT Autonomous Vehicle Pilot Operation Zone Route Map.

원본보기 아이콘

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.