The government will expand the service of self-driving taxis and buses that operate late and early hours. 

The transport ministry announced on Tuesday that it will designate seven regions as trial run zones for such services and inject two-point-six billion won, or roughly one-point-eight million U.S. dollars, into the effort. 

The seven trial run zones are Seoul, Sejong, Pangyo and Anyang in Gyeonggi Province, Cheonan in South Chungcheong Province, Gyeongju in North Gyeongsang Province, Hadong in South Gyeongsang Province and Jeju. 

As for the capital, the Seoul Metropolitan Government will expand the service area to the entire Gangnam district and increase the number of vehicles that provide the services from three to six in a bid to resolve the lack of taxis in late hours in the busy district. 

The capital will also expand the number of self-driving buses that begin the first shift of the day from one to four while also adding routes that such buses operate on.