Selected as a demand-responsive transportation operator Forti2dot was finally selected for the Pohang Smart City Challenge project hosted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Accordingly, Fort2Dot was in charge of demand-response transportation in Pohang, Gyeongsangbuk-do. DRT is a next-generation public transportation method that flexibly operates the operation section, frequency, and time on a set route.
Fort2dot, a mobility startup such as autonomous driving, is one of the key subjects of the smart city challenge project hosted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, in the mobility field, its own DRT service tab! It was announced on the 17th that it will be in charge of the operation.
Previously, Fort2Dot operated TAP! with three large vans using local taxi licenses in the Yangdeok area of Pohang from January 17th to February 28th. During the demonstration period, we verified whether TAP! can contribute to the use of public transportation in Pohang and collected evidence. In addition, a demonstration result report was held to find a way to coexist with the taxi and bus industries.
When the Fort2Dot DRT project is implemented in earnest, the convenience of transportation for citizens is expected to increase further. As unnecessary short-distance car use is reduced, it is expected to contribute to resolving traffic congestion and parking problems.
TAP! optimally matches and dispatches passengers and DRT vehicles by using the Forty to Dot Yumos algorithm. UMOS is an urban mobility integrated solution that provides optimal mobility services in accordance with the Fort2Dot mission of creating a world where everything moves by itself and is seamlessly connected.
When a user inputs and calls a departure point and destination within the service area, AI detects the location of the vehicle and passenger and analyzes the movement route in real time. Then, a route is created where passengers on a similar route can ride together, and dispatch is made. As user data accumulates, the dispatch algorithm becomes more sophisticated, reducing waiting time and travel time for passengers.
In fact, during the 43-day demonstration project, Fort2Dot was TAP! According to the results of examining the driving record, the total number of calls was 8808, the number of completed use was 3967, and the number of passengers reached 5559. The user evaluation score reaches 4.96 out of 5.
Fort2Dot plans to advance the main project by upgrading the algorithm based on the data and know-how accumulated through the preliminary project. For this project, specific operation plans such as operation scale and region will be finalized through consultation between Pohang City and local taxi business groups.
Chang-hyeon Song, CEO of Fort2Dot, said, “Through TAP!, we will implement a mobility experience that can be connected seamlessly and comfortably anywhere.” He said, “We will diagnose the means of transportation needed in the city and integrate transportation infrastructure that meets user needs to service operation in Pohang. We will accelerate the realization of a smart city.”
Meanwhile, Fort2Dot, founded in March 2019 by Naver Labs CEO Song Chang-hyeon, former chief technology officer of Naver, is simultaneously developing a mobility platform that provides autonomous driving technology and optimal mobility.
