Government to Equip Red Buses With Lane Departure Warning Systems

As many of the buses introduced prior to July 2015 lack the latest electronics required to operate the new safety system however, only around 3,000 express buses will be subject to the new safety measures, accounting for less than 20 percent of all red buses. (Image: Yonhap)

SEOUL, Jul. 17 (Korea Bizwire) — The South Korean government has announced plans to equip red buses, express buses that operate in the Seoul metropolitan area, with lane departure warning systems (LDWS) by the end of the year, in a bid to curb road accidents.

The government’s decision to adopt technology such as forward collision warning systems in its red buses that travel between Seoul and neighboring cities by the end of this year will be followed by further plans that will see vehicles produced from next year equipped with Advanced Emergency Braking Systems (AEBS).

“To prevent road accidents caused by drowsy driving, we have decided to fund the Gyeonggi provincial government, the Korea Transportation Safety Authority and transport companies so as to equip red buses running in the Seoul Capital Area including Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi Province with LDW systems such as collision warning,” said Kwon Byung-yun, an official at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

Following a multiple-vehicle collision involving a commuter bus at the Yongdong Expressway tunnel in Bongpyeong last year which left four people dead and 37 people injured, the government has been putting an increased emphasis on road safety, with the decision to require trucks and other types of large vehicles to be equipped with AEBS being the latest example.

As many of the buses introduced prior to July 2015 lack the latest electronics required to operate the new safety system however, only around 3,000 express buses will be subject to the new safety measures, accounting for less than 20 percent of all red buses.

Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)