Hyundai Motor Company has joined hands with the Korea Transportation Institute (KOTI) to enhance demand-responsive integrated mobility services.
On the 18th (Monday), Hyundai announced on the 19th (Tuesday) that it has signed a ‘Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Research on Demand-Responsive Transportation Policies’ in the Pangyo Techno Valley Tower in Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, with key personnel including Song Chang-hyun, head of Hyundai’s SDV division, and Oh Jae-hak, director of KOTI.
This MOU aims to establish a collaborative framework between Hyundai, which operates the demand-responsive mobility platform ‘Shuckle’, and KOTI, which possesses traffic data and related research capabilities, to promote demand-responsive transportation.
Under this agreement, both parties will cooperate on ▲policy and model research to expand demand-responsive transportation ▲data sharing for regional expansion of demand-responsive transportation ▲hosting joint seminars to disseminate research results.
Hyundai will provide its experience and data from operating the demand-responsive transport (DRT) service ‘Shuckle’, which allows transfers to public transport, while KOTI will establish effective demand-responsive transport models and policies based on its traffic data research capabilities.
In particular, they plan to explore various collaboration strategies to build an optimal system that resolves local traffic issues and to ensure the widespread adoption of demand-responsive services tailored to local conditions.
Song Chang-hyun, head of Hyundai’s SDV division, stated, “This collaboration carries significant meaning as it aims to promote policy research that will transform traditional public transport systems. The synergy between Hyundai’s DRT operating experience and KOTI’s research capabilities can accelerate the innovation of future mobility.”
Oh Jae-hak, director of KOTI, remarked, “Through the collaboration between Korea Transportation Institute, a national research institute, and Hyundai Motor Company, we aim to secure leadership in mobility technology and data, anticipating a transformation in the mobility innovation ecosystem.”
Meanwhile, ‘Shuckle’, introduced by Hyundai in 2021, is the country’s first artificial intelligence-based demand-responsive transport service, offering various mobility options such as shared scooters and autonomous robo-shuttles. It also became the first DRT service in the country to apply bus and subway transfer discounts, enhancing connectivity with public transportation.
The Shuckle service currently provides platform technology for a total of 124 demand-responsive buses across 16 regions including Gyeonggi Province and Sejong City, securing 2.2 million ride records, making it the most experienced service in the country.
Hyundai plans to further develop Shuckle into a Mobility as a Service (MaaS) platform integrated with public transport and metropolitan traffic systems, while providing tailored services considering local characteristics through negotiations with various local governments and including future mobility options such as Urban Air Mobility (UAM).
By Sang-jin Lee daedusj@autodiary.kr