Chang-hee Cho, bus policy division manager at the provincial government, told Cities Today that the technology, by Hyundai Mobis, would only be tested on a voluntary basis.

“After this, we will conduct a survey of bus drivers who participated in the test and hear diverse voices from experts and those involved to decide whether to make further expansions,” he said.

Twenty public bus drivers will take part in a trial run until the end of this year and the authorities hope it will eventually reduce accidents, particularly on long distance bus routes.

Safety first

A petition was filed earlier this year on the presidential office website, calling for tougher regulations for city bus drivers and better education on safe driving. It followed several accidents that killed or injured passengers.

The main petitioner said he had been left severely bruised after a bus accelerated too quickly when he boarded, throwing him off balance, reported Yonhap.

He highlighted another tragedy, where a young woman had been killed while exiting a bus as the driver closed the door two to three seconds too soon, trapping her under the bus.

Petitioners urged drivers to pay more attention to passengers getting on and off the vehicle. Bus drivers have complained of pressure to keep up with a tight schedule on their routes.