Autonomous driving startup RideFlux will operate a late-night autonomous BRT service in Busan. RideFlux said it will start the late-night autonomous bus rapid transit, or BRT, service in Busan from Jan. 26. It is a fully open autonomous public transport service that members of the public can use during late-night hours after existing BRT operations end.

The service will run on weekdays from 11:30 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. It will deploy 1 9-metre electric bus, a Woojin Industrial Systems Apollo 900. Up to 15 people can ride per vehicle.

The route is a 10.4-km round trip between Haeundae Station and Dongnae Station on Busan Metro Line 2. It is aimed at filling the public transport gap after regular BRT service ends and improving residents' travel convenience.

The vehicle is equipped with 8 cameras and 6 light detection and ranging, or LiDAR, sensors. It detects nearby vehicles, pedestrians and objects in real time in 360 degrees. It applies an autonomous cooperative driving function linked to the smart road system on the route. A safety supervisor intervenes if an unexpected situation occurs during operation.

RideFlux started an autonomous bus service last year in Busan's Osiria Tourism Complex. It expanded the public's everyday experience with autonomous driving. The company plans to expand travel convenience for Busan residents through the late-night BRT expansion.

RideFlux CEO Park Joong-hee (박중희) said, "Busan's late-night autonomous bus will go beyond a simple technology demonstration and become a new public transport option that provides convenience for citizens' nighttime travel." He added, "RideFlux will continue to lead innovation in urban transportation through safe and reliable autonomous driving services."