Seoul Expands Late-Night Autonomous Taxi Service Across Gangnam After Successful Pilot | Be Korea-savvy

Seoul Expands Late-Night Autonomous Taxi Service Across Gangnam After Successful Pilot


A view of Seoul’s late-night autonomous taxi in operation, the first of its kind introduced in South Korea (Image provided by Seoul Metropolitan Government)

A view of Seoul’s late-night autonomous taxi in operation, the first of its kind introduced in South Korea (Image provided by Seoul Metropolitan Government)

SEOUL, June 16 (Korea Bizwire) — After completing a successful safety trial, Seoul will expand its late-night autonomous taxi service to cover all of the Gangnam district starting June 16, city officials announced Sunday.

The program, launched in September 2024 as South Korea’s first public self-driving taxi pilot, currently operates between select neighborhoods such as Yeoksam, Daechi, Dogok, and Samseong. With the expansion, service will now extend to high-demand areas like Apgujeong, Sinsa, Nonhyeon, and Cheongdam.

Three autonomous vehicles operate on weekdays between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., and rides can be summoned via the Kakao T app, similar to regular taxis. Each vehicle accommodates up to three passengers, and fares remain free during the pilot phase.

To ensure safety, the vehicles switch between autonomous and manual driving. On roads with four lanes or more, they drive autonomously, while a safety driver onboard takes manual control in residential zones, alleyways, and school zones.

Since the service began on September 26, 2024, it has recorded approximately 4,200 rides, averaging about 24 trips per weekday. Notably, there have been no accidents, even in Gangnam—one of the most complex traffic zones in the country—bolstering public confidence in self-driving transport.

Seoul is also piloting early-morning autonomous buses to serve workers on atypical schedules, including janitors and security staff. Since December 2024, one such service has operated a 50-kilometer round-trip route from Dobongsan Transfer Center to Yeongdeungpo Station, with 10,000 rides logged in six months.

By late 2025, the city plans to add three more autonomous bus routes connecting Sangye–Express Bus Terminal, Geumcheon (Gasan)–Seoul Station, and Eunpyeong–Yangjae Station.

Additionally, a new program called “Neighborhood Companion Autonomous Bus” will begin later this month in Dongjak District (Soongsil University to Chung-Ang University). Two more routes will follow later this year in Dongdaemun (Janghanpyeong Station to Kyung Hee Medical Center) and Seodaemun (Gajwa Station to the district office), aimed at serving transit-poor communities.

“The safe and successful deployment of autonomous taxis in congested Gangnam is a meaningful milestone for Korea’s self-driving technology,” said Yeo Jang-kwon, head of Seoul’s transportation bureau. “We will continue to build practical and secure autonomous transit options that improve mobility for all Seoul residents.”

Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com) 

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