SINGAPORE: Self-driving shuttle services in Punggol, which have been on trial since September last year, will open to the public from Apr 1, Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow announced on Wednesday (Mar 4).
The trial allowed the government to study how autonomous vehicles (AVs) can operate in Singapore's context, Mr Siow told parliament while presenting his ministry's budget plans for the year.
Trials have run smoothly and safely, and have drawn strong support from Punggol residents, he said.
Senior Minister of State for Transport Sun Xueling said the rides will be free during an initial launch period, after which a S$4 (US$3.10) fare will apply from the middle of the year.
Members of the public can sign up for rides through operator Grab, which will release registration details closer to the launch date.
The buses ply two routes, and around 740 people rode them during the trial period.
“Many commented that the rides were smooth and comfortable, and 99 per cent said they would recommend the service to others,” she said.
She added that the shuttles provide last-mile connections not previously provided by direct transport links and reduce travel durations by up to 15 minutes.
A third route, to be operated by ComfortDelGro's autonomous shuttles, is making "good progress in familiarisation", she added.
If the Punggol rollout goes well, Mr Siow said he intends to expand AV trials to other parts of Singapore, including Sentosa, Tuas and Mandai.
Plans are also in the works for autonomous public buses to hit the roads. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) awarded an S$8.14 million contract last year to pilot autonomous buses on services 400 in Marina Bay and 191 in One-North. Trials for both services are expected to launch in the second half of this year.
“But for technological and commercial reasons, autonomous buses are developing more slowly than autonomous cars,” Mr Siow said. “So we will continue to watch this space closely.”
Artist impressions of the autonomous buses for pilot deployment. (Image: LTA)
Mr Siow also addressed the need for more bus drivers to support expanding connectivity. Since the Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme was launched, 25 new services have been added and over 60 existing ones enhanced.
“But most importantly, I need to hire bus captains,” he said. “There are just not enough Singaporeans who want to be bus drivers, and we have already reached the limit in terms of how many foreign bus drivers we can recruit.”
Ms Sun said the government will step up efforts to attract locals, including mid-career entrants, to the bus sector, working with operators and unions to raise salaries, and improve working conditions and career progression.
On electric vehicles (EVs), Ms Sun announced that fast-charging hubs will be rolled out islandwide, with at least one hub per HDB town by the end of 2027. Each hub will have at least six fast-charging points.
Deployment will begin in areas with higher EV charging demand and sufficient electrical capacity, such as car parks near Compass One in Sengkang, MacPherson market, and Plantation Plaza in Tengah.
EV adoption hit a record 55 per cent of new car registrations in January, with more than 29,000 charging points now available islandwide. Currently, 150 fast-charging points have been deployed across 70 car parks at HDB town centres and other premises.
Ms Sun added that "ultra-fast charging options" are also being explored, alongside efforts to optimise the electrical grid for growing charging needs.
To build up the EV maintenance workforce, a new structured skills pathway for EV technical specialists will be introduced. The move comes as a shortage of skilled mechanics has posed a growing challenge for car workshops pivoting to EV repair.
The four-tier pathway – running from technical specialist to engineer – lays out a progression roadmap for both existing automotive technicians and new entrants to the field, MOT said.
“It provides a clear progression route for existing automotive technicians to enhance their capabilities, and for new technical specialists to be trained, strengthening Singapore’s EV workforce pipeline,” the ministry said.
Employers including Borneo Motors, BYD, Cycle & Carriage and Komoco will be actively involved. Eligible individuals will receive at least 50 per cent subsidies on course fees, and the remaining course fees can be offset with SkillsFuture credits.
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The trial allowed the government to study how autonomous vehicles (AVs) can operate in Singapore's context, Mr Siow told parliament while presenting his ministry's budget plans for the year.
Trials have run smoothly and safely, and have drawn strong support from Punggol residents, he said.
Senior Minister of State for Transport Sun Xueling said the rides will be free during an initial launch period, after which a S$4 (US$3.10) fare will apply from the middle of the year.
Members of the public can sign up for rides through operator Grab, which will release registration details closer to the launch date.
The buses ply two routes, and around 740 people rode them during the trial period.
“Many commented that the rides were smooth and comfortable, and 99 per cent said they would recommend the service to others,” she said.
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She added that the shuttles provide last-mile connections not previously provided by direct transport links and reduce travel durations by up to 15 minutes.
A third route, to be operated by ComfortDelGro's autonomous shuttles, is making "good progress in familiarisation", she added.
If the Punggol rollout goes well, Mr Siow said he intends to expand AV trials to other parts of Singapore, including Sentosa, Tuas and Mandai.
Plans are also in the works for autonomous public buses to hit the roads. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) awarded an S$8.14 million contract last year to pilot autonomous buses on services 400 in Marina Bay and 191 in One-North. Trials for both services are expected to launch in the second half of this year.
“But for technological and commercial reasons, autonomous buses are developing more slowly than autonomous cars,” Mr Siow said. “So we will continue to watch this space closely.”
Artist impressions of the autonomous buses for pilot deployment. (Image: LTA)
ADDRESSING BUS DRIVER SHORTAGE
Mr Siow also addressed the need for more bus drivers to support expanding connectivity. Since the Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme was launched, 25 new services have been added and over 60 existing ones enhanced.
“But most importantly, I need to hire bus captains,” he said. “There are just not enough Singaporeans who want to be bus drivers, and we have already reached the limit in terms of how many foreign bus drivers we can recruit.”
Ms Sun said the government will step up efforts to attract locals, including mid-career entrants, to the bus sector, working with operators and unions to raise salaries, and improve working conditions and career progression.
MORE FAST CHARGERS
On electric vehicles (EVs), Ms Sun announced that fast-charging hubs will be rolled out islandwide, with at least one hub per HDB town by the end of 2027. Each hub will have at least six fast-charging points.
Deployment will begin in areas with higher EV charging demand and sufficient electrical capacity, such as car parks near Compass One in Sengkang, MacPherson market, and Plantation Plaza in Tengah.
EV adoption hit a record 55 per cent of new car registrations in January, with more than 29,000 charging points now available islandwide. Currently, 150 fast-charging points have been deployed across 70 car parks at HDB town centres and other premises.
Ms Sun added that "ultra-fast charging options" are also being explored, alongside efforts to optimise the electrical grid for growing charging needs.
Related:
EV SPECIALIST TRAINING
To build up the EV maintenance workforce, a new structured skills pathway for EV technical specialists will be introduced. The move comes as a shortage of skilled mechanics has posed a growing challenge for car workshops pivoting to EV repair.
The four-tier pathway – running from technical specialist to engineer – lays out a progression roadmap for both existing automotive technicians and new entrants to the field, MOT said.
“It provides a clear progression route for existing automotive technicians to enhance their capabilities, and for new technical specialists to be trained, strengthening Singapore’s EV workforce pipeline,” the ministry said.
Employers including Borneo Motors, BYD, Cycle & Carriage and Komoco will be actively involved. Eligible individuals will receive at least 50 per cent subsidies on course fees, and the remaining course fees can be offset with SkillsFuture credits.
Continue reading...