A shuttle-type autonomous vehicle runs at major tourist attractions in Gangneung, Gangwon-do Province, as part of an intelligent transportation systems that raises transit efficiency and safety through information and communications technology such as data on real-time traffic and bus arrivals and Hi-Pass, an automatic toll payment system.

By Charles Audouin
Photos = Gangneung City Hall

Gangneung, the capital of Gangwon-do Province, is driving a new technological era as a "city of cutting-edge mobility." Self-driving cars run throughout the city and artificial intelligence (AI)-guided intersections adjust traffic signals according to pedestrian walking speeds, while emergency vehicles are prioritized in the signal system.

The city's hosting of the ITS (Intelligent Transportation Systems) World Congress next year is expected to globally showcase such innovations.

The 32nd edition of the event is slated next year from Oct. 19-23 in Gangneung. Held annually and rotated among Asia, Europe and the Americas, the conference is the largest academic gathering and exhibition of its kind.

Next year's edition will also mark Korea's third hosting of the congress, following Seoul in 1998 and Busan in 2010.

In 2022, Gangneung was named to hold the 2026 event after beating Taipei, Taiwan, as the first small-to-medium host city and displaying strong commitment for the bid. With support from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport for streamlining road infrastructure, Gangneung has sped up preparation.

The most palpable change in the city is the diversity of self-driving services. Autonomous tourist vehicles around Gangneung Olympic Park use AI and big data to perceive road and facility data, abide by traffic signals and operate without drivers.

Since January 2023, such vehicles have offered free rides on three tourist routes connecting Olympic Museum, Gyeongpoho Lake and Anmokhaebyeon Beach. Boarding is also available at Gangneung Station and the bus terminal.

In July this year, Gangneung became the country's first local government to adopt self-driving buses on a rural route, a section that will display autonomous driving technology for such vehicles at next year's congress.

Also at the general assembly, Gangneung will showcase smart traffic technologies. A leading example is a signal priority system for the dispatch of emergency vehicles like fire trucks and ambulances to reduce their crossing times at intersections.

Pilot operations found that this method boosted such vehicles' speed 70% and reduced travel time 43%.

The city will also showcase a "smart crosswalk," which has AI analyze pedestrian speed and movement and automatically extends signal time when slow walkers are detected. The results are a 90.6% drop in jaywalking and 65.4% fewer pedestrians unable to cross within a designated signal time.

The congress venue will be Gangneung Olympic Park, which hosted ice sports of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. Other related events include academic sessions, exhibitions, technology demonstrations, business consultations and cultural programs.

An estimated 60,000 people from 90 countries are expected to attend the conference.

The Gangneung City Information Center monitors in real time illegal parking, littering, wildfires and traffic conditions and will also be used as a viewing location for next year's ITS World Congress in the city.

caudouin@korea.kr