Seoul said on March 29 it will deploy an autonomous bus on the Gupabal–Yangjae corridor. Branded "Dawn Companion," the A741 service will begin roughly 30 minutes before the city’s first scheduled bus and will run the full route without a safety driver — a national first.
The service, numbered A741, will operate weekdays (Mon–Fri) from Gupabal Station to Yangjae Station and back, covering 23.5 km in a single round trip and serving key stops including Gwanghwamun, Sinsa and Gangnam.
A741 will stop at 34 of the original 741 route’s 64 stops — those selected for the highest first-bus usage. By skipping lower-demand stops, the city expects to cut one-way travel time by about 20 minutes compared with a full-stop service.
Following a government policy change on Jan. 26 that permits autonomous driving in zones protecting children, the elderly and people with disabilities, A741 will operate autonomously across the entire route, including a 0.8 km stretch near Nokbeon and Muakjae stations.
The city will run the service free of charge while officials monitor operations. Passengers must tap transit cards when boarding and alighting, as on regular buses. For safety, standing is prohibited; if all seats are occupied, the bus will not take on additional riders.
Seoul previously launched the A160 autonomous bus in November 2024, operating between Dobongsan and Yeongdeungpo stations. Over 15 months it carried about 27,600 passengers with no reported accidents. Commuters made up 96.2% of ridership; 85.4% were aged 50 or older, and 66.2% worked in manual labor occupations.
The city plans to expand autonomous services on congested early-morning corridors, adding route 148 between Sanggye and the Express Bus Terminal and route 504 between Geumcheon-gu Office and Gwanghwamun by April.
