Anyang City Launches First National Demonstration of 'Manhole Impact Prevention Devices' to Prevent Road Bumps

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Yu Je-sung] Anyang City announced on the 13th that the in-city demonstration of the 'manhole impact prevention device' has officially begun.

The manhole impact prevention device, developed by Anyang-based company RMC Tech, is known as an innovative product that can be installed at a height matching sunken manhole covers to rapidly and economically level the height difference between the manhole and surrounding road.

Previously, demonstration was impossible due to the absence of certification standards, but through the city's regulatory improvement initiative, an industrial convergence regulatory sandbox demonstration exception was approved by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy in May of last year, enabling new products or services to be tested and verified on the market under certain conditions.

Accordingly, the company has installed manhole impact prevention devices at two locations—▲the road next to the Anyang Branch of the Suwon District Court and ▲the entrance to Gongjak Boo Young Apartments—starting from the 25th of last month, and plans to additionally install them at three more locations by this month: ▲in front of GS Gas Station on Gwiin-ro ▲in front of Gwiin 119 Safety Center of Anyang Fire Station ▲in front of Anyang Financial Center at Gwanpyeong intersection.

Since encountering the company's regulatory difficulties in September 2023, the city has pursued active regulatory rationalization, including securing demonstration sites and responding to demonstration exception-related matters leading up to this demonstration.

Meanwhile, the city continues to lead regulatory innovation, including winning the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's Local Regulatory Innovation Competition Grand Prize for three consecutive years, being selected as a top-performing organization in the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's Local Regulatory Innovation Performance Evaluation for two consecutive years, and being selected as an excellence in proactive administration organization for five consecutive years.

Mayor Choi Dae-ho stated, "This demonstration is the first case being promoted nationwide, and will serve as a foundation for further strengthening road safety and allowing innovative technology to be established within the regulatory framework," adding, "We will do our best to ensure citizens enjoy safer and more pleasant road environments."