Seoul employs robots and AI to roll out further smart city services

Seoul has announced it intends to introduce three new smart city services based around information and communications technologies (ICTs).

Self-driving car robots will patrol the city to detect dangerous situations or to spray disinfectant. Using IoT sensors they will also monitor and warn against illegal parking activity such as obstructing the entrance to EV charging stations.

To help improve the recycling rate of domestic waste, Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) also plans to wheel out IoT-powered collecting bins for clear plastic bottles.

Park patrol

Two self-driving patrol robots will be deployed in Seoul Children’s Grand Park in Gwangjin-gu and around Tancheon Dulle Gil in Songpa-gu.

In the event of an emergency, such as hearing screams or fire alarms, the robots will relay the situation to the control room via voice message and sirens. The robots will also be used to spray disinfectant, check body temperatures, and to sterilise items with UV light.

They will also act as guides. At the children’s park and Tancheon Dulle Gil, the robots will instruct visitors to leave at night and advise of any precautions before using the facilities.

“We will expand the service across the city after evaluating citizens’ satisfaction rate and effectiveness of each service. Thereby, we will step forward to a safe and convenient smart city Seoul”

Meanwhile, monitoring EV charging stations will be installed in 10 parking slots in Geumcheongu. IoT sensors will identify entering vehicles’ number plates and confirm whether they’re electric or not. If the vehicles are found not to be EVs, voice alerts and lightbars will warn drivers they are illegally parking.

According to SMG expects these services will secure parking lots for EV charging, enhance the convenience of EV drivers, and improve parking etiquette for EV charging spots. A pilot programme in December 2021 proved the service was effective.