▲ Local government meeting to improve autonomous driving traffic safety (Photo provided by National Police Agency)

Sharing the status of autonomous driving traffic safety and traffic safety infrastructure advancement
Focused discussion on expanding the real-time signal information collection and provision system

The National Police Agency and the Korea Road Traffic Authority shared the autonomous driving traffic safety policy being promoted by the National Police Agency and the status of advancement of traffic safety infrastructure with local governments conducting various demonstration projects, such as the ‘Autonomous Vehicle Pilot Operation Zone.’

The two organizations held a policy discussion meeting on the 8th at the National Police Agency’s Cultural Plaza with the theme of ‘Establishing Measures to Improve Autonomous Driving Traffic Safety.’

At this meeting, attended by around 60 people including local government officials, researchers, and city/provincial police officials who are actively participating in the development of autonomous driving technology, including those from Daegu, Siheung, etc., presentations were given on ‘National Police Agency’s work to prepare for autonomous driving verification and commercialization,’ ‘Measures to improve traffic safety in autonomous vehicle demonstration operation zones,’ and ‘Introduction of traffic safety education project for test drivers.’

In particular, the amendment to the Road Traffic Act related to autonomous driving proposed in June and the ‘Real-time signal information collection and provision system’ jointly developed by the National Police Agency and the Road Traffic Authorityo; Expansion plans were discussed in detail.

Among these, the 'Real-time Signal Information Collection and Provision System' was developed by the National Police Agency and the Road Traffic Authority to address the limitations of traffic signal recognition for future transportation methods such as outdoor mobile robots and autonomous vehicles, which are scheduled to be commercialized in earnest this year. As each transportation method operator can receive real-time signal information in bulk from the National Police Agency's Urban Traffic Information Center, it has attracted the attention of many local governments considering safe autonomous driving services.

▲Signal opening flow diagram (Image provided by: National Police Agency)

On this day, the National Police Agency announced that it plans to gradually expand the real-time signal information collection and provision system nationwide to create a foundation for a safe future traffic environment.

Yoon So-sik, the Commissioner General of the Traffic Bureau of the National Police Agency, said, “As we approach the era of commercialization of autonomous driving, what the public is most concerned about is traffic safety,” and added, “Developing laws and systems related to autonomous driving and traffic safety facilities will become the basic foundation for our country to become a leading country in autonomous driving.”

The National Police Agency and the Korea Road Traffic Authority plan to actively support the reorganization of laws and systems based on the matters discussed at this meeting and to revitalize research and development for traffic safety.