Updates
Gangnam Late-night Robotaxi Expanded to 19: Hours, Zone, How to Call
Gangnam Late-night Robotaxi Expanded to 19 Vehicles
On 19 August 2026 Seoul announced that its Gangnam late-night autonomous taxi fleet grows from 7 to 19 vehicles starting 20 August at 22:00. SWM operates 13 vehicles and Kakao Mobility 6.
The service has grown in stages: it launched in September 2024 as a free pilot with 3 vehicles, expanded to 7 in March 2026, switched to paid service that April, and now reaches 19.
When the fleet grew to 7 on 16 March 2026, existing operator SWM added 2 vehicles and Kakao Mobility joined with 2. In that announcement Seoul reported 7,754 rides from 26 September 2024 to 28 February 2026; paid service began on 6 April.
Gangnam Autonomous Driving Pilot Zone: 20.4 km²
The service covers the entire Gangnam autonomous driving pilot zone — approximately 20.4 km².
It is not a fixed-route bus service. You set your own pick-up point and destination inside the zone, and the robotaxi drives there on demand.
Operating Hours: Weekdays 22:00–05:00
The service runs on weekdays (Mon–Fri) from 22:00 to 05:00 the next morning. There is no weekend service.
It covers the late-night window after subways and regular buses stop — one more way to move within Gangnam after the last train.
How to Call 'Seoul Autonomous Car' in Kakao T
You request a ride in the Kakao T app (Korean app). The steps are:
- Open Kakao T and tap 'Taxi'
- Set a pick-up point and destination inside the zone
- Choose 'Seoul Autonomous Car (서울자율차)' as the vehicle type
- Select a payment method and call
Robotaxi Fares by Time Band
Fares are a flat base fare independent of distance and duration, with a late-night surcharge applied. Fares did not change with this expansion.
- 22:00–23:00 — KRW 5,800
- 23:00–02:00 — KRW 6,700
- 02:00–04:00 — KRW 5,800
- 04:00–05:00 — KRW 4,800
Before You Ride
A few conditions to know before riding. This site does not provide real-time information — check the Kakao T app for current availability before heading out.
- The manual-driving requirement inside protected zones for vulnerable road users was removed by a January 2026 rule change; Seoul plans to extend autonomous driving to those zones within the service area step by step, subject to approval (August 2026 announcement)
- Weekdays only — no weekend service
- Per the announcement: 15,140 cumulative rides since September 2024, 6,176 since paid service began