Singapore has become the first country in the world to test out driverless taxis in a bid to revolutionize the transport industry.
Advertisement
The world’s first self-driving taxis commenced their trips in Singapore today, The New York Times reported. The company beat Uber to the chase, with Uber intending to offer rides in autonomous cars in Pittsburgh in a few weeks’ time.
The service will begin small- 6 automobiles now, growing to a lots by the end of the year. Riders must have an invitation to use the service, said nuTonomy, adding that dozens of people signed up for the launch and it wanted to add thousands more in the coming months. Ultimately, the model might be adopted in cities worldwide, nuTonomy states. The trial is free for passengers, inviting them to schedule a ride in one of six self-driving cars, with specific locations for pick-ups and drop-offs.
The nuTonomy robo-taxis are one more step in seeing if the self-driving vehicle is ready for everyday use in the real world.
Ride-sharing giant Uber said last week that it would be launching driverless cars in the USA city of Pittsburgh by the end of August.
The “robo-taxi service” is being tested at a small research campus well away from the thrum of the Asian business hub.
CEO Karl Iagnemma called the pilot program “a direct reflection of the level of maturing that we have achieved with our AV software system”.
If you spot a vehicle rolling down the road without a driver sometime next week, don’t freak out.
“This is really a moment in history that’s going to change how cities are built, how we really look at our surroundings”, said nuTonomy executive Doug Parker in an interview with Reuters.
In addition to that, each driverless taxi has a driver (oh, the irony) seated in front who is prepared to take back the wheel in the event something goes awry.
The technology, pioneered by startup nuTonomy, is the first to be offered for members of the public wanting to hitch a ride. She said she was nervous when she got into the vehicle, and then surprised as she watched the steering wheel turn by itself.
Advertisement
Iagnemma said the company is confident that its software can make good decisions. We want to know that number.
