Smart Buses

[Anchor Lead]

Jeju Island will adopt cutting-edge accident prevention devices to prevent fatal bus accidents. Here is a look at how the new, smart buses will save lives.

[Pkg]

The tail of a truck is rammed through the bus windshield. Twenty-six people were hurt in this accident in which a bus crashed into a parked truck. But these types of bus collisions will be less likely in the future. A bus that was traveling at 50 kilometers per hour detects a car ahead and stops at a safe distance. That's because the automatic emergency brake system in the bus was activated. This is part of the driver assistance system to be adopted in public buses in Jeju-do Province, starting next year.

[Soundbite] Jeong Hyeong-su(Bus Driver) : "I think this device can dramatically lower the likelihood of accidents when a car cuts me off or brakes suddenly."

When the driver closes his eyes for a moment... he is woken up by a warning siren and an announcement.

[Soundbite] "You must be tired, but try to stay awake."

It's a device that recognizes the facial and pupil movements to prevent dozing off while driving. The driver's smart band transmits his biological signals to the control system instantly... and when an anomaly is detected, the control system sends the bus' location information to dispatch emergency responders. This was an attempt to apply the Internet of Things technology to public transportation.

[Soundbite] Kim Jun(Director, Technology Research Lab) : "We made this technology to reduce car accidents. It's the world's first AEB system for the automotive aftermarket."

The Jeju provincial government plans to use the data collected by this device for traffic safety. The introduction of cutting-edge technologies are expected to make public transportation much safer.