Seoul will increase the number of nighttime autonomous taxis in Gangnam to 19
Seoul authorities will expand the fleet of autonomous night taxis in the southern part of the city from seven to 19 vehicles. The expansion of the service in the Gangnam district is set to begin on Thursday, according to the Korea Herald. The city also plans to gradually introduce vehicles without a safety operator in the driver’s seat.
The service in Gangnam is provided by SWM and Kakao Mobility. SWM will increase its fleet from five to 13 vehicles, while Kakao Mobility will expand from two to six. Gangnam-gu is currently the only district in Seoul where the autonomous taxi service operates. It was launched in 2024.
According to city officials, from September 26, 2024, to July 31 of this year, passengers took 15,140 rides in autonomous taxis. Seoul plans to expand the operation of these taxis to all roads within the Gangnam service area, including school zones and other areas designated to protect vulnerable road users.
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This became possible following a change in regulatory rules in January: autonomous vehicles are no longer required to switch to manual control in certain restricted zones. You can order a taxi through the Kakao T app by selecting “Seoul Autonomous Car” after entering your pickup and drop-off locations.
In November, Level 4 autonomous vehicles are also scheduled to launch in the Sangam-dong district in western Seoul. Under specific conditions, these vehicles are capable of performing all driving tasks without human intervention. Lee Su-jin, director of the city’s Future Transportation Division, stated that initially, a safety operator will likely be seated in the front passenger seat, and the possibility of operating the vehicles without a crew will be considered based on public reaction.
