[Issue] Gwangju Autonomous-Driving Vehicles to Begin First Runs at the End of November... Future Transportation Experiment Gets Underway

Two vehicles to launch at the end of November; 130 by year-end and 200 early next year targeted
Service to expand in stages from the outskirts of Gwangsan-gu, Buk-gu and Seo-gu to the city center
Government targets paid pilot in 2028; regulatory reforms underway
Talks ongoing on taxi licenses and jobs; transport workers worry about their livelihoods

Autonomous-driving demonstration vehicles will take to the roads in Gwangju at the end of November. The program will begin with safety managers in the driver's seats, then gradually reduce human intervention as it tests driverless technology. The government is also working to launch a paid robotaxi pilot in Gwangju in 2028. Before paid passenger services can begin, safety must be verified, relevant laws and regulations must be revised, and discussions must be held with the existing transport industry.

Autonomous driving footage of “Atria AI” by Hyundai Motor Group. Provided by Hyundai Motor.

From the outskirts to the city center... Autonomous-driving trials get underway

According to the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City on November 4, autonomous-driving demonstration services will begin with two vehicles at the end of November and expand in stages. The plan calls for increasing the fleet to 130 vehicles by the end of 2026 and to 200 in early 2027.

The initial service areas will be the outskirts of Gwangsan-gu, Buk-gu, and Seo-gu, where traffic is relatively light. As the technology and safety are verified, the service area will expand into the city center.

Gwangju is the first city in South Korea to have its entire area designated as an autonomous-driving pilot zone. Three companies - Hyundai Motor Company, Autonomous A2Z, and RideFlux - are participating in the demonstration project. Driving data collected by the vehicles on actual roads will be used to train artificial intelligence (AI) systems and improve the technology.

In the early stages of operation, safety managers will ride in the driver's seat to respond to unexpected situations. The trials will then progress to having the driver's seat empty while a safety manager rides in the front passenger seat, before testing fully driverless operation with no safety manager inside the vehicle. The government plans to begin test runs with the driver's seat empty from the end of 2027.

Autonomous-driving technology is classified into levels 0 through 5 according to the degree of driver intervention and driving conditions. Level 4 allows a vehicle to operate without driver intervention in designated areas and conditions, while Level 5 refers to autonomous driving on all roads and under all conditions.

Gwangju Special City plans to discuss holding an on-site event open to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the media, as well as test drives, once the number of demonstration vehicles increases.

Paid robotaxi service targeted for 2028... Commercial launch not yet confirmed

The demonstration project starting at the end of November will test the operating technology and safety of autonomous vehicles. It will not include taxi services that carry passengers and charge fares.

By contrast, at a Regulatory Rationalization Committee meeting on October 23, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced a goal of running a paid robotaxi pilot in Gwangju in 2028. The government plans to revise the relevant regulations by 2027 and discuss how the service will operate with the existing taxi industry.

Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Hong Jiseon answers lawmakers’ questions during a comprehensive parliamentary audit of the ministry and other agencies at the National Assembly on the 23rd of last month. Photo by Yoon Dongju.

The key is to establish rules defining the roles and responsibilities of businesses operating autonomous-driving services. The standards proposed by the ministry include remote vehicle monitoring, passenger safety management, accident response, and cybersecurity management. Operators will also be required to have on-site staff and a safety manager to respond to emergencies.

Gwangju Special City said that the commercial launch of robotaxis in 2028 has not been confirmed. The date proposed by the government is a target for a paid pilot, and further steps will be needed before actual services can begin, including legal revisions, safety verification, and business permits. The service areas, fares, and terms for business participation have also yet to be decided.

Taxi licenses and jobs... Talks with the transport industry remain a challenge

RideFlux's autonomous vehicle undergoing test runs in Sangam, Seoul. Courtesy of RideFlux.

Stakeholders in the existing transport industry have differing interests regarding the introduction of robotaxis.

The Korea National Taxi Association argues that autonomous taxis should operate under the same existing taxi licensing rules and regional limits on the total number of taxis. The rental car industry, meanwhile, says new operators should also be given the opportunity to enter the market. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is discussing operating models and ways for the existing transport industry to participate through a social dialogue body, but specific standards have yet to be finalized.

A taxi driver interviewed in Gwangju also acknowledged the need for technological progress while expressing concern about making a living in the future.

"The world is changing, so we can't keep relying on people to drive forever, can we?" said one driver who had been driving a taxi for about 10 years after retiring. "But the question is what comes next. Some people like me started driving taxis after retiring, while others have done this their whole lives. I'm worried about what I'll do for a living when I have to give up the wheel." He added, "I hope the government will think not only about introducing the technology but also about the future of people like us."

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