Urban Transport

Autonomous pods to continue Singapore's drive for autonomy

Autonomous pods to continue Singapore's drive for autonomy
The third generation GRT electric pods can seat eight or twelve people and will be used to service first and last-mile mobility needs in Singapore
The third generation GRT electric pods can seat eight or twelve people and will be used to service first and last-mile mobility needs in Singapore
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The third generation GRT electric pods can seat eight or twelve people and will be used to service first and last-mile mobility needs in Singapore
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The third generation GRT electric pods can seat eight or twelve people and will be used to service first and last-mile mobility needs in Singapore

Following the recent announcement that driverless taxis may be tested on its roads, Singapore is set to extend its autonomous vehicle credentials further still. The country's public transport operator SMRT has partnered with sustainable mobility firm 2getthere to roll-out driverless pods later this year.

In doing so, SMRT and 2getthere have formed a new joint venture called 2getthere Asia, via which they plan to market, install, operate and maintain "Automated Vehicle systems" for customers in Singapore and the Asia-Pacific region. The planned first act of 2getthere Asia is to bring 2getthere's 3rd Generation Group Rapid Transit (GRT) vehicles to Singapore by the end of the year.

The third generation GRT was designed by 2getthere in partnership with Italian automotive firm Zagato Milano, the two companies having previously worked together on the personal rapid transit (PRT) system for Masdar City in the United Arab Emirates.

The pods have a flexible interior that can seat eight or twelve people and can accommodate up to 24 passengers in total. They are fully electric, powered by lithium iron phosphate batteries and have a top speed of 40 km/h (25 mph). An obstacle detection system is employed for the safety of passengers, pedestrians and other road users, while air conditioning and wide automated doors help to ensure comfort and accessibility for passengers.

The pods will be used to service first and last-mile mobility needs in Singapore.

Sources: SMRT, 2getthere

3 comments
3 comments
Stephen N Russell
Export & bring to LA CA, can serve City Hall Govt alone for dwtn LA area. Nice or for Dwtn Sacramento CA, FT Worth TX, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Denver, Juneau, Seattle, Portland
Lumen
Hi Stephen, Have you considered skyTran for those listed metropoles? Let's get off the roads... cheaply.
LeathersmithLawrence
The Singaporean government refuses to allow the fully-electric Tesla into the country on the pretext that it burns more fossils fuels per mile covered. Will the Land Transport Authority bother to come up with a new classification on vehicles that are both fully-electric and self-driving? The loss of fuel tax from just one vehicle is already a tough pill to swallow, what more an entire fleet of fully-autonomous electric people-movers?