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Naeseong–Jung-dong Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Route to Begin Autonomous Bus (BigAi Bus) Test Runs on November 3

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that starting at 11:30 p.m. today (November 3), it will begin operating an autonomous bus for test runs along the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) route connecting Naeseong Intersection in Dongnae-gu to Jung-dong in Haeundae-gu to verify technologies for expanding autonomous driving services.

This test operation is a preliminary inspection before the official launch next year. It aims to verify the safety of autonomous driving technology, support AI learning, and collect driving data. No passengers will be on board during this testing phase.

Through this test run, the city will verify connectivity and driving stability among vehicles, roads, and related infrastructure, including Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communication and high-definition mapping systems. The data collected will serve as foundational material for the future expansion of autonomous public transportation services throughout Busan.

The test will be conducted over approximately two months, from November 3 to early January, operating on weekdays between 11:30 p.m. and 3:30 a.m. the following day. The route will cover the dedicated BRT lane from Naeseong Intersection in Dongnae-gu to the Haeundae-gu Office Entrance bus stop in Haeundae-gu.

The test vehicle will operate at a fixed speed during this phase as part of fine-tuning the autonomous driving system. As a result, temporary inconvenience or traffic delays may occur for other drivers using the route.

The city emphasized that safety will be the top priority during testing. Each vehicle will have a test driver and a safety officer on board at all times to respond to unexpected situations. During the early stages of testing, manual driving will also be conducted alongside autonomous operation to ensure safety.

A city official requested the public’s understanding, noting that temporary slow driving may cause some lane-use inconvenience or congestion.

Hwang Hyun-chul, Director General of the Transportation Innovation Bureau, stated, “This autonomous bus test run aims to verify technologies essential for expanding late-night public transportation in dedicated bus lanes. Although there may be temporary delays or inconveniences due to low-speed operation, it is an unavoidable process for introducing future public transportation services. We ask for the understanding of our citizens. Busan Metropolitan City will thoroughly verify safety and convenience to establish a reliable autonomous public transportation service model that citizens can trust and use.”