AUTONOMOUS BUS

[Anchor Lead]

Today for our local news, we take you to Jejudo Island where an autonomous bus held a demonstration drive on a regular road using fifth generation communications technology. This is the first time such technology has been showcased in the country. Future plans include pushing for a cooperative self-driving system involving other vehicles and road infrastructure as well.

[Pkg]

[Soundbite] "Autonomous driving mode."

At the press of a button, the steering wheel starts moving by itself. The vehicle is running on a road alongside other cars. This demonstration of an autonomous bus held on a regular road using 5G technology was the first of its kind in Korea. It is a conditions-based self-driving, meaning the human driver can intervene when necessary. The bus calculates its location and collects data on its surroundings through an attached sensor, thereby adjusting its space with other cars on the road. It's even able to share related information with other vehicles. While running, inside the bus, passengers can enjoy over 100 high-definition multimedia contents.

[Soundbite] KIM MIN-HYEON(KOREA TELECOM) : "Advanced autonomous driving stages can be reached faster if a cooperative system is developed connecting other vehicles and road infrastructure."

However the bus currently only has a temporary permit to operate, so it cannot change lanes. It also sets a sudden break if another car cuts in.