The vehicle moves smoothly even with the driver's hands off the steering wheel.

As it approaches a bus stop, it detects traffic conditions, changes lanes on its own, and comes to a halt at the precise location.

Iksan City in North Jeolla Province held a test ride event for reporters on June 23, ahead of the pilot operation of its autonomous bus, the "Maryong-e Bus," scheduled for next month.

The Maryong-e Bus is the first autonomous bus to provide paid transport services in North Jeolla Province.

Equipped with eight cameras, one radar, and six LiDAR sensors mounted on the windshield and other areas, the bus monitors road conditions and traffic signals in real time. It traveled stably along a round-trip route of approximately 10 km, connecting the Intercity Bus Terminal, Iksan Station, and Wonkwang University.

However, a driver remained in the driver's seat to intervene when necessary in case of unexpected situations.

In fact, during one segment of the ride, police and traffic volunteers were managing road traffic. The driver switched to manual mode and slowed down in advance to prepare for any potential accidents.

An official from "RideFlux," the agency responsible for the autonomous driving project, explained, "The bus can automatically slow down or avoid obstacles if it detects risk factors, but we intervened manually for safety reasons since reporters were on board. Additionally, we use manual driving in specific areas, such as school zones, to ensure safety."

Iksan City, which was selected as a pilot zone for autonomous driving by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in 2022, plans to invest a total of 19.4 billion won over five years until 2028 to build extensive infrastructure.

The city is pushing forward with basic design, platform construction, vehicle manufacturing, and demonstration operations, with plans to expand the service to five routes covering 10.7 km in the future.

During this pilot operation period, any citizen can use the bus for free.

Iksan Mayor Jung Hun-yul stated, "The strong first step of the Maryong-e Bus will be a turning point for Iksan to leap forward as a self-sufficient city for future mobility, in line with the government's mobility innovation roadmap." He added, "If we establish a regional autonomous driving system connecting Gunsan, Iksan, Jeonju, and Wanju, we expect to complete a mega-living zone that encompasses both the economy and tourism."

(Photo: Yonhap News)