Seoul expands autonomous taxi services amid industry competition

Seoul is expanding its autonomous taxi services as major corporations compete for dominance in South Korea’s robotaxi market. The city will increase the number of late-night autonomous taxis in the Gangnam district from seven to 19, with operators SWM and Kakao Mobility expanding their respective fleets. Following regulatory changes, Seoul plans to expand these services to all roads within the Gangnam area, including school zones.

In November, Level 4 autonomous vehicles are scheduled to begin operating in Sangam-dong. While initial services will likely include a safety operator in the passenger seat to build public trust, the city intends to eventually transition to vehicles operating without any staff on board.

The competition for a two-year mandate to run Seoul’s robotaxi platform has drawn interest from several players, including Hyundai Motor through its joint venture Motional, Kakao Mobility, Socar, Apex Mobility, and Tmoney Mobility. Notably, traditional taxi operators are increasingly embracing the technology rather than resisting it, seeking to integrate into the emerging ecosystem.