Visitors to Sentosa will be able to call for on-demand autonomous shuttles to bring them around the island from next year.
The testing for these locally-developed vehicles started yesterday, June 5, along a 1km stretch of the service road at Tanjong Beach.
This will be progressively extended to a 2km route linking Palawan and Siloso beaches by end of this year, according to a joint statement by ST Engineering, in partnership with the Ministry of Transport (MOT) and Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC).
The autonomous mobility-on-demand solution is being developed by the Land Systems arm of ST Engineering, in partnership with the other two agencies.
During the testing phase, the autonomous shuttles will not carry members of the public.
In 2019, as part of a three-month public trial, visitors and staff in Sentosa will be able to hail the autonomous shuttles via their smartphones or at kiosks, along a longer 5km route.
ST Engineering has combined a variety of technologies such as radar, lidars, GPS and computer vision, to transform an electric bus into one that is capable of sensing its environment and navigating without human input. The system is also able to analyse passenger demand and optimise route management for ride-sharing services.
“The autonomous mobility-on-demand trial in Sentosa marks a key milestone in our vision to leverage autonomous technology to improve the public transport system in the longer term," said Permanent Secretary for Transport and Chairman of the Committee on Autonomous Road Transport for Singapore Mr Loh Ngai Seng. "The insights gained from this trial will allow us to better understand how the technology can be deployed to strengthen intra-town connectivity and enhance mobility for commuters, particularly the elderly and persons with disabilities.”
Mr Quek Swee Kuan, Chief Executive Officer, Sentosa Development Corporation, said, “Technology is a key enabler in our efforts to create great guest experiences, and we look forward to not only strengthening connectivity across the island, but also offering our guests another unique experience, among the array of novel leisure activities in The State of Fun. ”
“ST Engineering’s AV kit is platform-agnostic, and hence can be integrated onto other transportation platforms. The outcomes of the trials will provide valuable inputs and data on the performance of the vehicle under various road conditions, and allow us to fine-tune its responses to them,” Dr Lee Shiang Long, President of ST Engineering Land Systems added.
