The Seoul city government on the 23rd began operating the Cheonggye A01 autonomous shuttle with no driver's seat.
Cheonggye A01 circulates on a 4.8-kilometer round-trip route from Cheonggye Plaza to Cheonggye 3-ga (Sewoon Shopping Center) to Cheonggye 5-ga (Gwangjang Market). It stops at a total of 11 stops in both directions.
On weekdays, it runs 11 times in total at 30-minute intervals from 10 a.m. to 4:50 p.m.
The biggest feature of Cheonggye A01 is that it operates as a fully autonomous vehicle. Unlike existing autonomous vehicles with a person seated in the driver's seat, this vehicle has no driver's seat or steering wheel at all. According to the Seoul city government, this is the first time such a vehicle has operated within Seoul.
The autonomous driving technology was developed and manufactured in-house by the domestic company Autonomous A2Z. Inside, it is equipped with a large display for autonomous driving status and travel information, as well as convenience facilities such as a wheelchair boarding lift.
The Seoul city government plans to charge fares for Cheonggye A01 in the second half of next year. Until then, fares are free. However, riders can board after tagging a transit card, the same as on regular city buses. After fares begin, unlimited rides will be available with the Climate Companion Card, and the Seoul metropolitan area transfer discount will also apply.
Yeo Jang-gwon, head of transportation at the Seoul city government, said, "We will continue to showcase advanced autonomous driving services throughout Seoul and do our best to prove the global competitiveness of Korea's autonomous driving technology."