SEOUL, Nov. 20 (Korea Bizwire) — Kakao’s real-time bus-tracking feature, which displays vehicle locations with 10-centimeter accuracy, is delivering measurable time savings for riders — nearly two hours per month — according to a new academic study commissioned by the company.
Kakao said on Nov. 20 that research teams from Seoul National University and KAIST analyzed the social value of its “Ultra-Precise Bus” service on KakaoMap, which shows bus movements, traffic-signal waits and speeds in real time. First launched on Jeju Island in 2019, the service now operates in 20 regions nationwide.
Surveying 1,500 users, the researchers found that riders saved an average of 6.42 minutes each time they used the feature and accessed it about 4.57 times per week. On a monthly basis, that amounts to roughly 1 hour and 57 minutes saved per user, Kakao said.
The study also measured how much people would be willing to pay for the service. Among 993 respondents, the median willingness-to-pay was 390 won (about US$0.30). Based on KakaoMap’s 30 million monthly active users as of 2023, Kakao estimated the service generates around 11.7 billion won (US$8.8 million) in monthly social value.
“Ultra-Precise Bus” service on KakaoMap
Willingness-to-pay varied sharply by region: residents of Seoul showed the lowest value at 274 won, while users in Sejong and Jeju — where public transit is less convenient — expressed the highest, at 1,588 won. Kakao said the results reflect stronger demand for accurate arrival information in areas with limited or less predictable bus services.
The research teams concluded that Kakao’s service “not only improves individual convenience but also contributes meaningfully to solving transportation challenges in regions with weaker public-transit infrastructure.”
Kakao recently overhauled KakaoMap’s interface, adding an all-menu tab and redesigning the public-transit navigation screen to improve usability as it continues to expand precision-based mobility tools across the country.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
