AUTONOMOUS BUS TRIAL RUN IN SEJONG

[Anchor Lead]

S. Korea has begun it's very first test operation of autonomous bus connecting Sejong intercity bus terminal and Cheongju in Chungcheongbukdo Province. This is the first time an autonomous bus has been put on main roads. For the time being, a driver and a safety official are on board in case of an emergency, but based on the test operation,the government aims to make buses completely autonomous by 2025.

[Pkg]

A self-driving bus begins its maiden operation. Without any human intervention, the vehicle passes through an underpass, overpass and curved roads. Its departures and stops are also smooth. Passengers can monitor the driving situation on a screen installed inside the bus. Three such autonomous buses with 14 to 15 seats will operate on a 22.4 kilometer section express bus route connecting Sejong intercity bus terminal and KTX Osong station. They will travel back and forth six times a day on weekdays. The one-way travel time of 35 minutes is not much different from existing buses. Sejong city will run the trial operation for three months before gathering passenger opinions and start charging fares.

[Soundbite] Eom Chung-seop(Sejong City Gov’t) : "Sejong plans to become a leader in future mobility by expanding autonomous bus operations in cooperation with the transport ministry and local gov'ts."

For the time being, a driver and a safety official are on board the bus to be prepared against contingencies. The government aims to make it completely autonomous by 2025.

[Soundbite] Park Jin-ho(Transport ministry) : "The first introduction of an autonomous BRT bus is very significant as the Bus Rapid Transit is a critical part of public transport."

The service is expected to expand to Banseok station in Daejeon city next year and to Cheongju airport and other Chungcheongdo province areas after 2024.