AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE SERVICE

[Anchor Lead]

The Seoul metropolitan government is soon to launch the operation of autonomous vehicles for the public in Sangam-dong. Passengers can request autonomous rides by using a dedicated app and paying for the ride upon arrival. The pilot operation will also be expanded to Gangnam and Yeouido.

[Pkg]

A black passenger car is driving along the streets of downtown Seoul. It's an autonomous vehicle that does not need a driver.

[Soundbite] Chung Sung-kyun(Autonomous vehicle safety agent) : "When there are pedestrians around, the car stops."

A service allowing passengers to ride self-driving cars as public transportation will soon be launched in Sangam-dong of Seoul. Passengers can request the service using a special smartphone app. It's the first instance of the commercial use of autonomous cars in Korea. The service will be provided first in Sangam-dong from next week. It will be free of charge during the first month. From January, a two-thousand-won fee will be charged for each ride.

[Soundbite] Oh Se-hoon(Seoul Mayor) : "I used to be worried a little. But now I have seen that it can operate as if piloted by a skilled driver. I think it's good enough to be commercialized."

Next year, the autonomous car service will be expanded to Gangnam, Yeouido and Magok as well. In April 2022, self-driving city buses will be introduced in the Cheonggyecheon area. From 2023, a long-haul bus route operated mostly at nighttime will also be available. The Seoul metropolitan government plans to introduce autonomous vehicles for cleaning streets and removing snow as well. However, concerns over safety and accident response remain.

[Soundbite] Park Moo-hyuk(KoROAD) : "The question is who will take responsibility for accidents involving self-driving cars. There is no clear answer yet."

The Seoul metropolitan government plans to obtain public consensus after sufficient pilot operation and invest 150 billion won by 2026 in building infrastructure for self-driving vehicles.