Sejong to get LG U+ 5G self-driving minibuses

LG U+ will start testing 5G-connected self-driving minibuses in Sejong from October, the mobile carrier said Thursday.

Sejong was selected as a regulation-free zone for the testing of autonomous driving technology last month. The mobile carrier and Sejong city government will cooperate in developing the self-driving technology based on a memorandum of understanding they inked Thursday.

Testing self-driving minibuses, to be used as shuttle buses, is one of the early projects the two parties will cooperate on. The technologies involved in operating a stable autonomous shuttle service include precision mapping technology, a seamless 5G network and big data technology.

“We will focus on improving technology so that self-driving shuttles can safely operate around general roads, housing complexes and city parks,” a spokesperson from LG U+ said.

The carrier said the test area for the minibuses within Sejong will likely be decided as early as October.

The carrier and the city’s goal is to put the self-driving minibuses into official service by June next year.

After developing the self-driving minibuses, the two parties will expand cooperation into establishing 5G-based smart traffic infrastructure in Sejong and invigorating the city’s economy by creating jobs in 5G-related business areas.

On Thursday, LG U+ inked a separate agreement with local constructor Korea Land & Housing Corporation (LH) to apply 5G-related technology while building a smart city complex of residential and commercial buildings.

While LH will take charge of building the smart city complex on some 830,000 pyong (678 acres) of land in Sejong from next year, LG U+ will be supporting the construction process by establishing a specialized 5G network covering the construction area. With 5G, the two companies are planning on using remotely controlled construction machinery, surveying drones, intelligent cameras and helmets attached with sensors at the work site.

BY KIM JEE-HEE [kim.jeehee@joongang.co.kr]