Singapore launches first self-driving bus service test
Singapore will conduct a self-driving shuttle bus trial in the real world for the first time. The trial will allow self-driving buses to run with regular regular buses, cars, and motorcycles in mixed traffic conditions. The one-year autonomous test will be conducted at the Kent Ridge campus of the National University of Singapore (NUS) and will be carried out in collaboration with transportation company ComfortDelGro, automation technology company EasyMile, National University of Singapore and luxury car dealer Inchcape Singapore.
The service will use EasyMile's EZ10 automatic pod vehicle and carry 15 passengers on the 1.6-kilometer distance between the National University of Singapore’s Heng Mui Keng Terrace and the main business road. This is the first such experiment conducted by a transportation company in Singapore. More importantly, the experiment will rely on the software and hardware technology of the vehicle's own equipment for road navigation without the help of external infrastructure.
During the test, the safety engineer will also board the self-driving bus to ensure the safe operation of the vehicle and provide engineering-related expertise throughout the process. In the initial stage of the experiment, the team’s autonomous bus will focus on collecting data for its map and navigation system, but will not be open to passenger services. Once the trial management team is convinced that it is ready for the commute trial, the ride experience can be opened to passengers.
The EasyMile EZ10 automatic pod car runs entirely on electricity, and it is equipped with the latest self-driving car technology that combines the functions of artificial intelligence and robots. This means that it can operate and navigate on existing roads without the need for additional infrastructure. It also has a built-in adjustable slope device to facilitate passengers with limited mobility to get on and off the bus.