KIST and Topes Develop Smart City Traffic Control Technology

The Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST; President: Seok-Jin Yoon announced that a signboard hanging ceremony was held on June 13th at its headquarters in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, commemorating the technology transfer and linking lab project for the development of AI-based real-time vehicle detection, tracking, and speed estimation technology with Topes (CEO: Byung-Jin Park). The two institutions plan to conduct cooperative research on the technology over the next two years and join forces in commercializing traffic control technologies that can be applied to smart cities.

Smart city technologies, which utilize advanced ICT technologies to solve various urban problems such as transportation, energy, and facility inefficiency, are considered to be the key to improving citizens' lives in Korea, where the urbanization rate exceeds 81%. Among them, the field of smart transportation systems is considered to be essential for safety in cities, and is experiencing rapid development with high technology demand.

Ig-Jae Kim, Director-General of KIST’s Artificial Intelligence and Robot Institute, remarked, "This technology is an intelligent traffic control technology that can analyze CCTV images and track real-time vehicle detection," and added, "We expect to see the rapid commercialization of related products through this technology transfer and linking lab project."

Seok-Jin Yoon, President of KIST, stated, "This collaboration between KIST and Topes will serve as a representative example of our linking lab projects, which actively support the commercialization process of companies that have signed technology transfer contracts. In particular, as Topes' business activities are in the public sector and concern the protection of people’s safety, we anticipate that KIST's technology will therefore contribute to providing safe lives to the public."

Topes CEO Byung-Jin Park also commented, "In response to the rapidly changing domestic and foreign technological environment, this technology from KIST, itself comprised of various technologies and created by competent personnel, was transferred to us so that we may conduct cooperative research to complete our traffic safety solutions. We hope that this collaboration will serve as a cornerstone for Topes to secure a legacy as a company with a 100-year history," adding, "We will also make efforts to expand overseas by commercializing this technology and expanding its fields of application."

Topes was established in 1984 as Oriental Electronics System, and since developing the first unmanned transportation control system in 1992, has grown to become a leading transportation solutions company. In January 2023, Topes was designated as an excellent procurement company after its deep learning-based front and rear control system was expanded to include two-wheeled vehicles.