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| Self-driving taxi trial kicks off in Singapore | Self-driving taxi trial kicks off in Singapore |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Self-driving cars and taxis are the buzz of the industry. Everyone seems to be doing it, trying grab headlines with every step forward or new trial phase. | Self-driving cars and taxis are the buzz of the industry. Everyone seems to be doing it, trying grab headlines with every step forward or new trial phase. |
| But the real deal always seemed to be still years in the future. | But the real deal always seemed to be still years in the future. |
| Now, here in Singapore, you can in fact hop into a driverless taxi and go for a ride. And it's even free. | Now, here in Singapore, you can in fact hop into a driverless taxi and go for a ride. And it's even free. |
| But hold your horses, it's still only a trial. It does, though, take things a wee bit further than what we've seen from the big car makers, Google or ride-hailing giant Uber. | But hold your horses, it's still only a trial. It does, though, take things a wee bit further than what we've seen from the big car makers, Google or ride-hailing giant Uber. |
| A truly driverless ride? | A truly driverless ride? |
| Well, sort of. Given that it is a trial, there's of course still a driver in the front. | Well, sort of. Given that it is a trial, there's of course still a driver in the front. |
| But the cars are doing the driving themselves, and the driver is only there to monitor the performance and as a backup in case something goes wrong. | But the cars are doing the driving themselves, and the driver is only there to monitor the performance and as a backup in case something goes wrong. |
| Who's behind it? | Who's behind it? |
| It is not any of the big names of the car industry who we know are all pushing the technology in their research and development departments. | It is not any of the big names of the car industry who we know are all pushing the technology in their research and development departments. |
| It's a company called nuTonomy, a US-based start-up developer of software for self-driving cars. The company was founded in 2013 by two MIT researchers specializing in robotics and driverless technology. The firm has offices both in the US and in Singapore. | It's a company called nuTonomy, a US-based start-up developer of software for self-driving cars. The company was founded in 2013 by two MIT researchers specializing in robotics and driverless technology. The firm has offices both in the US and in Singapore. |
| Earlier this year, nuTonomy was the first company to get permission from the Singapore government to test self-driving cars in a small area of the town. It's now begun tests with passengers. | |
| How does it work? | How does it work? |
| Given that nuTonomy is not a car manufacturer, these are not flashy futuristic vehicles designed for a driverless future. Rather, they are small Renault and Mitsubishi electric vehicles that have been equipped with the company's software and cameras. | Given that nuTonomy is not a car manufacturer, these are not flashy futuristic vehicles designed for a driverless future. Rather, they are small Renault and Mitsubishi electric vehicles that have been equipped with the company's software and cameras. |
| The micro cars are still, however, a step up from some of nuTonomy's previous trials with driverless vehicles in 2014 - back then, the flashy ride was in fact an electric golf cart. | The micro cars are still, however, a step up from some of nuTonomy's previous trials with driverless vehicles in 2014 - back then, the flashy ride was in fact an electric golf cart. |
| The new taxi trial currently consists of a fleet of six cars - each of them has a complex system of lasers that operate like a radar to monitor the car's surrounding. In addition there are cameras that work with the software. | The new taxi trial currently consists of a fleet of six cars - each of them has a complex system of lasers that operate like a radar to monitor the car's surrounding. In addition there are cameras that work with the software. |
| Free rides across Singapore? | Free rides across Singapore? |
| Not exactly. It's a very, very small part of town and far, far away from the centre. The taxis will run in 2.5 sq mile (4 sq km) area in the north of the city-state, a rather quiet business district. Also, there are designated pick-up and drop-off spots so you can't get on or off wherever you fancy. | Not exactly. It's a very, very small part of town and far, far away from the centre. The taxis will run in 2.5 sq mile (4 sq km) area in the north of the city-state, a rather quiet business district. Also, there are designated pick-up and drop-off spots so you can't get on or off wherever you fancy. |
| And it's not for everyone yet. You have to register after receiving an invitation from nuTonomy and so far, only a few dozen people are part of the programme. The firm says that it plans to expand the service to thousands of people within a few months. | And it's not for everyone yet. You have to register after receiving an invitation from nuTonomy and so far, only a few dozen people are part of the programme. The firm says that it plans to expand the service to thousands of people within a few months. |
| Why Singapore? | Why Singapore? |
| The city is already a bit of a taxi heaven. Owning your own car is mind-bogglingly expensive and many people take taxis on a regular basis. Cab rides are cheap and there's a very high demand. | The city is already a bit of a taxi heaven. Owning your own car is mind-bogglingly expensive and many people take taxis on a regular basis. Cab rides are cheap and there's a very high demand. |
| Also, the city's overall traffic situation is rather disciplined and organised. More often than not when Singaporeans talks about a traffic jam, all they mean are a few cars more than usual at a traffic light. | Also, the city's overall traffic situation is rather disciplined and organised. More often than not when Singaporeans talks about a traffic jam, all they mean are a few cars more than usual at a traffic light. |
| So the goal is not just to complete a little trial but to expand it to a fully self-driving taxi fleet in Singapore by 2018 - that's according to nuTonomy. | So the goal is not just to complete a little trial but to expand it to a fully self-driving taxi fleet in Singapore by 2018 - that's according to nuTonomy. |
| Way ahead of the competition? | Way ahead of the competition? |
| NuTonomy appears to be amongst the top of the pack, but is by no means way ahead of the other players. | NuTonomy appears to be amongst the top of the pack, but is by no means way ahead of the other players. |
| Uber is planning a very similar project to be launched in Pittsburgh in the US in a few weeks time. | Uber is planning a very similar project to be launched in Pittsburgh in the US in a few weeks time. |
| And just about every car company is working on driverless technology from Silicon Valley's Tesla to Ford, Volvo, BMW and a number of Chinese car makers. | And just about every car company is working on driverless technology from Silicon Valley's Tesla to Ford, Volvo, BMW and a number of Chinese car makers. |
| Internet giant Google was in fact amongst the first to pioneer and extensively test its driverless Google car and has teamed up with a number of car makers for their research. | Internet giant Google was in fact amongst the first to pioneer and extensively test its driverless Google car and has teamed up with a number of car makers for their research. |