by An Overview of Singapore Autonomous Cars Market
Singapore has emerged as a global leader in autonomous vehicle technology in recent years. The city-state has created a welcoming regulatory environment and invested heavily in building the necessary infrastructure to support self-driving cars. As a result, all major automakers and tech companies have flocked to Singapore to test their latest autonomous driving systems.
Early Testing and Regulatory Framework
In 2013, Singapore became one of the first countries in the world to introduce legislation specifically for Autonomous Cars. The Active Mobility Act allows for public road testing of driverless vehicles under certain conditions. It also provides guidelines around licensing, insurancing testing supervisors. This progressive regulatory stance encouraged early pilots from companies like nuTonomy and Volvo.
Some of the earliest public road trials took place in 2016. nuTonomy deployed its self-driving taxis to shuttle passengers between specific pick-up and drop-off points. That same year, Volvo began testing platooning, where autonomous trucks drive closely together to reduce aerodynamic drag. These early initiatives helped refine Singapore’s regulatory approach and identify infrastructure needs.
Building a Smart Nation
As part of its broader Smart Nation vision, the Singapore government announced plans in 2016 to transform the entire island into a living laboratory for autonomous technologies. This included investments of over $1 billion into research hubs, 5G connectivity, and sensor infrastructure across the city. Dozens of test beds were established to evaluate autonomous vehicles in different real-world traffic conditions.
Major technology partners like Delphi, Intel, and Nokia helped deploy vehicular ad-hoc networks of cameras, radar, and sensors along 200km of roads. This has created a rich map of Singapore’s streets that autonomous vehicles can use for reference. Traffic lights were also upgraded to communicate wirelessly with self-driving cars for improved coordination at intersections.
Continued Testing Across Applications
Equipped with its advanced experimental facilities, Singapore has continued to serve as a proving ground. Companies like nuTonomy and Grab have further expanded their on-demand transport services using self-driving taxis. Commercial pilots have carried over 35,000 passengers to date.
Meanwhile, autonomous buses have been deployed on fixed routes at places like Jurong Island and the Nanyang Technological University campus. Scania and Volvo are testing platooning for logistics fleets, with the goal of deploying the technology commercially by 2020. Even grabage trucks have been equipped with autonomous capabilities for waste collection.
Singapore Autonomous Cars Market Looking Towards the Future
With its recent successes, the Singapore government aims to have autonomous vehicles comprising up to 30% of total daily trips by 2030. To facilitate this ambitious target, additional capabilities are being explored. Driverless metro trains have entered passenger service on the Circle Line, while plans are underway to introduce autonomous valet parking at malls and Hawker centers.
Collaborations are also expanding to test new frontiers. Researchers from NTU have developed self-driving wheelchairs to help the elderly and disabled. Partnerships with MIT are investigating how autonomous mobility-on-demand could replace up to 80% of car trips on Singapore’s roads. Meanwhile, a new test center was recently inaugurated at Changi Airport to certify autonomous aircraft operations.
In Summary, as autonomous technology continues to rapidly progress, Singapore’s proactive leadership puts it at the forefront globally. The island’s living lab approach allows companies to test in a safe, yet realistic environment. Its massive investments and enabling policy ecosystem have transformed Singapore into a prime destination for development autonomous vehicles across all modes of transportation. As other nations seek to follow suit, Singapore’s model will undoubtedly serve as the exemplar for responsible deployment of this transformative technology.
*Note:
1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
