SEOUL, June 27 (AJP) - A study has found that an artificial intelligence-based logistics system developed by Woowa Youths, the logistics unit of food delivery giant Woowa Brothers, has significantly reduced motor accident rates among its delivery workers. The findings were presented this week at an international academic conference in Cyprus, the company said Friday.
The research was unveiled on Wednesday at Statistical Challenges in E-Commerce Research (SCER 2025), a major global forum focused on data science and digital platform research. It was led by Professor Kyung Na-kyung of the National University of Singapore and examined the effectiveness of Woowa’s AI-assisted dispatch system, which was introduced in 2020. The system has since become a central tool for assigning delivery orders.
Unlike the previous “battle call” method, in which delivery workers had to compete for orders via their phones, the AI-based system now recommends deliveries based on each worker’s location, route, and real-time conditions. This allows workers to concentrate more on the road and reduces the need to check their phones while driving.
The study compared delivery performance data from before and after the system's introduction. It found that overall accident rates dropped by more than 64 percent, while accidents caused by driver error fell by nearly 86 percent. The impact was particularly pronounced among new delivery workers with less than six months of experience. In this group, total accidents decreased by over 93 percent, and at-fault accidents were reduced by 130 percent.
In addition to safety gains, the study found that average monthly earnings rose by 7.4 percent overall, and by 9.3 percent among new delivery workers, suggesting the system also contributes to improved income levels.
"This is a solid example of how AI can make gig work not just more efficient, but also safer," Professor Kyung said in a press release. "And since new delivery workers saw the biggest benefits, it also shows how digital tools can help build stronger support systems in today’s platform economy."
Woowa Youths said the results align with what the company has observed in practice and reaffirm its commitment to building smarter, safer systems. "Delivery worker safety is our top priority," company spokesperson told AJP on Friday. "With these results in hand, we’re more committed than ever to improving the delivery environment."
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.
View more comments