First self-driving taxi service to start in Singapore

In order to reduce traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions in Singapore, the start-up nuTonomy is attempting to develop the world’s first driverless taxis.

 Karl Iagnemma, nuTonomy’s CEO and principal research scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), said: “The economic reality will be that it is significantly more expensive to own your own car... We believe that this will lead to more and more people living in cities to give up owning a personal car.”

The company – founded by Iagnemma and Chief Technical Officer Emilio Frazzoli, also an MIT professor of aeronautical and astronautical engineering – wants to find the solution to a major problem in self-driving car technology: urban driving.

They are currently working in partnership with Singapore to implement the country’s Smart Nation vision: to utilise technology and the introduction of new economic opportunities as a way to improve its citizens’ lives.

Singapore’s “great infrastructure, very supportive government, and world-class universities producing top engineers” have made it the perfect place to develop AV technology, according to Iagnemma.

nuTonomy has developed an innovative system for operating large fleets of driverless taxis using navigation software for urban environments, smartphone-based ride hailing, fleet routing and management, and controlling a vehicle remotely through tele-operation.  

The first driverless test was completed in March and the on-the-road pilot trials are due to be approved soon.

According to a McKinsey report, AV technology could reduce death caused by car accidents, save manpower, and allow a 15 to 20 per cent saving on fuel.

Autonomous Vehicles (AV) technology industry is expected to be worth US$1.9 trillion by 2025.

Iagnemma said: “Traditional car makers will build fleets of self-driving cars that they will sell to companies like nuTonomy, or offer as part of their own mobility service effort.”

nuTonomy has managed to raise funding of US$16 million - including funds from the EDBI corporate investment arm of the Economic Development Board (EDB)  -  and uses high technology that is used in the development of safely-critical autonomous systems such as spacecraft and aeroplanes.

Iagnemma concluded: “We hope to be a key piece in the AV ecosystem that is developing in Singapore.”

Other global companies such as Google and Uber are also working on developing self-driving taxis, but currently possess less developed research.