Testing and Deploying Singapore Autonomous Cars Market

Singapore has emerged as a leader in testing and deploying autonomous vehicle technologies. The city-state has developed a regulatory sandbox and testbed environment to encourage companies to trial their autonomous systems on public roads under controlled conditions. Several companies have taken advantage of this supportive infrastructure to conduct live pilot programs.

NuTonomy was the first company to launch public driverless taxi trials in Singapore in 2016. Its Autonomous Cars taxis were deployed in a designated test zone in one-north, an innovation and research district in the western part of Singapore. The taxis ferried passengers along a fixed 5.7 km route under the supervision of safety drivers. NuTonomy has since expanded its fleet and operational area, transporting thousands of passengers on Singapore's public roads.

In 2018, Voyage launched their Chrysler Pacifica minivans for driverless rides around residential estates. They focused on picking up and dropping off residents within Punggol and Tampines. This allowed them to optimize their automated systems for lower-speed, more complex environments often found in housing zones. Over 10,000 autonomous rides have been given so far.

Grab also entered the autonomous driving space in 2019 through a partnership with Mercedes-Benz. Their self-driving taxis serve residents of one district and shuttle them to the train station. This public-private collaboration aims to introduce autonomous mobility solutions within Singapore's public transportation network.

Building Infrastructure and Regulations

To support these trials and future deployments, Singapore has invested substantially in infrastructure projects. High-definition maps have been created for major roads in collaboration with TomTom and other partners. 5G connectivity and cellular vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) technologies are also being tested to enable vehicle-to-vehicle and infrastructure communication essential for driverless operations.

On the regulatory front, Singapore passed the Road Traffic Act in 2017 to establish a legal framework for autonomous vehicles. This defines different levels of vehicle autonomy and permits the operation of driverless taxis and shuttles on public roads. It also addresses issues around licensing, insurTech, and liability. An advisory council developed best practice guidelines that companies must comply with to receive permits for trials.

Leveraging Local Engineering Talent

A key factor attracting autonomous vehicle investments has been Singapore's highly skilled engineering talent pool. Major tech universities like NTU and autonomous vehicle startups have formed research partnerships to drive innovation. For instance, NTU worked with nuTonomy to develop advanced sensor fusion algorithms and deep learning models for its taxis.

Homegrown mobility companies like Valerio, Cohda Wireless, and Anthropic have been leveraging this engineering talent supply to develop core autonomous driving technologies locally. The government is actively supporting these startups through programs like the Autonomous Vehicle Testbed Initiative that provides funding and infrastructure access. This helps generate high-value tech jobs within Singapore.

Singapore Autonomous Cars Market Future Mobility and Beyond

Looking ahead, Singapore aims to deploy fully driverless vehicles for wider commercial use by 2022. Trials are expanding to include delivery bots, self-driving shuttles, and passenger drones. The government has designated three districts as living laboratories for companies to test last-mile autonomous transport services.

Beyond autonomous vehicles, Singapore also sees potential applications in sectors like infrastructure, healthcare, and logistics. For instance, automated cranes and cargo carriers could optimize operations at its seaports and airports. Self-driving equipment may assist with maintenance of underground transport networks and public utilities.

In Summary, Singapore's early and intensive investments in regulatory sandboxes, infrastructure, and engineering talent are positioning it as a leader in the development and adoption of autonomous mobility technologies. It is aiming to be among the first smart nations where driverless transportation seamlessly integrates into daily lives.

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