Developing the regulations, conditions, and infrastructure to support driverless cars in the U.S. is going to take a long time. Singapore, however, is an entirely different beast. The small city-state, set on a small island just south of peninsular Malaysia, features some of the strongest and best enforced laws and regulations in the world.
Singapore’s roadways are particularly well-regulated. In order to prevent smog and traffic congestion, car sales are highly regulated, with the cost to purchase even a basic car exceeding $100,000. Total car ownership costs can easily hit $200,000 USD. Cars also can’t be more than 10 years old (with certain exceptions made for collectible cars), and nearly ubiquitous traffic cameras monitor for speeding and other violations. Should a traffic camera catch a driver speeding or committing other violations three times, said driver could lose the right to drive.
In other words, the Mad Max style road chaos seen in the United States and elsewhere simply doesn’t exist in Singapore. The tightly controlled and regulated environment makes the island a perfect test bed for driverless car technology. And now, SMRT Services, the country’s privatized public transportation company, is planning to launch driverless Group Rapid Transit (GRT) cars by the end of next year.
The vehicles would hold 24 people, seating approximately 12 people while allowing for standing room for 12 more. Essentially, they would operate as mini buses, akin to automated shuttles that could be used to transport people across the city. The GRTs would be fully automated and 100 percent electric. They would operate using a magnet based navigation system and obstacle detection system.
Singapore is facing a major challenge in that its current public transit system, which relies on a light rail system and buses, is being overwhelmed. Catching the train during rush hour often means waiting for long periods of time and being crammed in like sardines.
