JDC Wins WSCE Award for 'Autonomous Vehicles That Come When Called,' Recognizing Jeju Demonstration Results

【Financial News Jeju = Reporter Yong-bok Jeong】 An autonomous driving service that comes to users when called in the Jeju Science Park and Jeju National University areas has been selected as an outstanding domestic smart-city case. Its application of autonomous driving technology as a transportation service on actual local roads was recognized as a key achievement.
JDC said on the 16th that it won the domestic cities category at the World Smart City Expo (WSCE) 2026 Awards held on the 10th.
The award recognized the demand-responsive autonomous driving service that has been operated mainly around Yeongpyeong-dong in Jeju Science Park.
Unlike regular buses that operate on fixed routes and schedules, demand-responsive services dispatch vehicles according to users' calls and transportation needs. JDC has conducted demonstrations mainly along the route connecting Jeju Science Park and Jeju National University in cooperation with Jeju Island and Jeju Techno Park.
The Jeju Science Park area was designated as an autonomous vehicle pilot operation zone in 2023. These zones are designated areas where autonomous vehicles can operate on actual roads to validate related technologies and services. The significance of this demonstration lies not only in testing whether autonomous vehicles can drive on their own, but also in applying them as a transportation service that users could call and use for travel.
In areas such as industrial complexes and universities, where buildings and destinations are spread across a wide area, fixed routes alone may not fully meet transportation demand. Demand-responsive autonomous driving has the advantage of deploying vehicles at the times and locations where they are needed.
However, the demonstration results do not immediately mean that the service is ready for commercialization. Further verification is needed regarding vehicle safety, responses to unexpected situations, user waiting times and operating costs before it can be expanded as an actual mode of transportation.
Following the award, JDC plans to expand autonomous driving demonstrations centered on Jeju Science Park and further develop smart-city transportation infrastructure.
JDC Chairman Song Seok-eon said, "We will advance autonomous transportation services so that residents and tenant companies can use them safely and conveniently," adding, "We will develop Jeju Science Park into a demonstration hub for future mobility."


[email protected] Yong-bok Jeong Reporter