TS Launches Website for Self-Driving Car Accident Management

President Kwon Yong-bok of Korea Transportation Safety Authority (TS).

Korea Transportation Safety Authority (TS) said on Aug. 1 that TS was launching a website for an accident investigation committee designed to probe accidents related to the operation of self-driving cars and efficient management of related information.

The homepage offers one-stop services, such as accident acceptance and inquiry, disclosure of information, disputing and accident stats.

In October 2020, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) established a roadmap for regulatory reform of self-driving cars for the strengthening of the competitiveness of self-driving cars and effective regulatory overhaul and inaugurated a self-driving car accident investigation committee.

The secretariat of the committee has been set up at Korea Automobile Testing Research Institute (KATRI), an affiliated institution of TS.

The home page will include new functions and content. It will connect global accident statistics and related organizations, such as insurance companies.

Information gathered through investigating accidents will be stored in a database and made available for accident information comparison analysis and identifying causes.

A view of a website for an accident investigation committee designed to probe accidents related to the operation of self-driving cars and efficient management of related information.

A process will be arranged to cope with accidents with insurance companies and hospitals, while it will be made available for policy research for accident prevention and the prevention of the repetition of similar accidents in cooperation with research institutions and companies.

TS President Kwon Yong-bok said, “Self-driving car accident investigation process and outcomes of reviews will be disclosed transparently via the self-driving car accident investigation committee’s home page.”

TS will do its utmost to protect people’s lives and safety through regulatory reform and technology support ahead of the commercialization of self-driving cars by clarifying first relief of accident victims and compensation burden, he said.

Korea Transportation Safety Authority struck an MOU with Korea Maritime Transportation Safety Authority (KOMSA) to save people’s lives and prevent traffic accidents by spreading safety awareness on Aug. 3. (Photos: TS)

TS Teams Up with KOMSA to Prevent Transportation Accidents

Both sides agreed to promote cooperation in diverse areas, such as joint events and promotion activities to create a safe life environment.

They also agreed to settle a mature transportation environment by making the most of the expertise and resources they have accumulated.

TS plans to conduct an educational course on safe driving and the prevention of drinking and driving by targeting KOMSA executives and staffers and promoting a safe driving certification.

Officials from KOMSA’s Tongyeong and Yeosu branches will initially participate in the program, and it will be expanded to cover all other branches.

Lee Jae-hoon, head of the Education Division at TS, said, “The agreement will serve as an opportunity to create a safe transportation environment by securing on-land and off-shore transportation safety and take preemptive steps to prevent traffic accidents.”

TS will continue to make diverse efforts to help people create a safe transportation environment down the road, Lee added.