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Seoul doubles late-night autonomous taxi fleet in Gangnam

koreatimes.co.kr · 5h · first reportShare

Seoul will more than double the number of late-night autonomous taxis operating in Gangnam District, betting that a larger fleet will shorten waits and make the service easier to access after dark. Starting Thursday at 10 p.m., the city will increase the fleet to 19 vehicles from seven, Seoul city said. The expansion will also extend autonomous driving to all roads within the operating zone in southern Seoul, including child-protection zones, after the city obtains approval from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. The city said a regulatory change earlier this year removed the requirement for human driving in protected areas, allowing autonomous vehicles to operate there if safety plans are established and approved. The service has recorded 15,140 rides since it began on Sept. 26, 2024, including 6,176 rides after fares were introduced in April, the city said. The taxis will operate Monday through Friday from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. across the roughly 20.4-square-kilometer Ga