A SK Telecom Co. employee explains the advanced driver assistant system to a hearing-impaired taxi driver in this photo provided by SK Telecom on July 29, 2020.
SEOUL, July 29 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean telecom giant SK Telecom Co. said Wednesday it updated its services for hearing-impaired taxi drivers with new safety technology.
The telecom operator partnered with local social venture Coactus Ltd. in 2018 to launch a taxi-hailing app for hearing-impaired drivers.
SK Telecom said Coactus will directly employ the drivers and use advanced driver assistant system (ADAS) technology from the telecom operator.
The company said drivers will use smartwatches to better access ADAS technology, such as lane keep assist and front collision warning.
When the system activates, smartwatches alert drivers with vibrations, in addition to the system’s conventional visual and audio warnings.
The devices can also send location information directly to the police in case of emergencies.
SK Telecom said the new service aims to ensure the drivers’ job stability and improve their safety.
Since the service’s launch, it has assisted 62 drivers and completed over 150,000 trips, according to SK Telecom.
(Yonhap)
