Seoul to Introduce 500 Autonomous City Buses by 2030

Agreement Signed with Hyundai Motor and Bus Association

Policy and System Overhaul Linked to Bus Replacement

Standardization of Vehicle Sensors and AI Training Data

Development in 2027-28, Full Introduction in 2029

Seoul Metropolitan Government will introduce 500 autonomous city buses by 2030. To ensure the stable supply of autonomous vehicles and to facilitate technology development, the city aims to strengthen its collaborative system with both developers and bus operators.

On October 1, at Seoul City Hall, Seoul Metropolitan Government signed a 'Level 4 Autonomous Driving City Bus Commercialization and Industrial Ecosystem Establishment Agreement' with Hyundai Motor Company and the Seoul City Bus Transportation Association. The signing ceremony was attended by Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, Park Min-woo, President of Hyundai Motor Company, and Kim Jeong-hwan, Chairman of the Seoul City Bus Transportation Association. The agreement will remain in effect for three years from the date of signing.

This agreement was designed to link Seoul's introduction policy, Hyundai Motor's vehicle development capabilities, and the operational expertise of the bus transportation sector.

Seoul City's Level 4 Autonomous Driving City Bus Commercialization and Industry Ecosystem Establishment Roadmap. Seoul City

Seoul currently operates the 'Dawn Companion Autonomous Bus,' which helps early-morning workers commute. The city has also launched autonomous taxi services, testing technology on actual roads and expanding services accessible to citizens. The Dawn Companion Autonomous Bus is backed by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's 2024-2026 Autonomous Vehicle Pilot Operation District Service Project.

However, to move beyond the demonstration stage on select routes and expand autonomous buses into regular city bus service, it is necessary to ensure stable vehicle supply and ongoing technological improvement. In addition, a comprehensive system for dispatching, maintenance, charging, and safety management is required. Since small-scale retrofitting of mass-produced vehicles—simply adding sensors—is limited for large-scale adoption, the plan is to simultaneously prepare for the development of dedicated autonomous vehicles and the operator’s management system.

Through this agreement, Seoul will connect the development of dedicated buses tailored for autonomous driving, the application of artificial intelligence (AI) technology by domestic companies, and the actual operation by existing bus operators into a single system. The city aims to verify and improve these vehicles and technologies in the context of Seoul's city bus environment, ultimately establishing an autonomous public transportation model that can be applied to other cities in the future.

Under the agreement, Seoul will review and establish policies to support the demonstration and regular operation of autonomous city buses. Plans will also be developed to replace aging buses with autonomous models. Support for the domestic autonomous driving sector—such as sharing AI learning data—will be promoted within the scope allowed by relevant laws and regulations.

Hyundai Motor Company will be responsible for the development, production, supply, and maintenance of an 11-meter dedicated bus suitable for autonomous technology. The bus will be designed to control steering, braking, doors, and air conditioning through electronic signals, and will incorporate safety features such as redundancy of key parts and cybersecurity. This will allow domestic autonomous driving technology companies to apply AI software without repeating large-scale modifications for each vehicle.

The Seoul City Bus Transportation Association will support its member operators in converting existing regular city buses into autonomous city buses. The association will cooperate in preparing the necessary workforce and infrastructure—including test drivers, control staff, garages, and charging facilities—and participate in developing control and operation plans for autonomous city buses.

The three organizations will also establish a control and operations system capable of monitoring and managing multiple vehicles in real-time. By connecting vehicle supply, technology upgrades, and on-site operations, the plan is to ensure that autonomous buses become an integral part of regular city bus services used by citizens in their daily lives.

Building on this agreement, Seoul will work with partner organizations to pursue the development of dedicated buses and autonomous technologies, share AI learning data, and conduct service demonstrations for citizens from 2027 to 2028. Procedures required for commercialization, such as autonomous vehicle performance certification, will also be carried out. From 2029 onward, Seoul intends to establish both the introduction and operational system for autonomous city buses.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon stated, “Seoul Metropolitan Government, Hyundai Motor Company, and the bus industry will join forces as one team to turn autonomous driving technology into a city bus service available to citizens. Based on safe operation, we will gradually expand autonomous city buses to enhance citizens’ mobility convenience and position Seoul as a leading city for autonomous public transportation.”

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