Transportation

Seoul light rail system pilots face recognition ticketing

Image courtesy of iStock

January 26, 2021

Employees of Seoul Metro's Ui-Sinseol light rapid transit line in South Korea are testing a facial recognition payment system that lets passengers pay their fares without tapping a smartphone or card or removing their face mask.

The payment system has been introduced at access gates at 13 stations along the line. As a user goes through an access gated, they look directly at a screen. Once they are recognized as the correct user, the fare is automatically deducted from a linked account, according to a report by NFCW.

The facial recognition payment solution was developed by T-Money and will be available to passengers who upload a selfie and link it to their chosen payment method via the mobility and payment service's mobile app.