Volvo Buses has announced that the world’s first full-size autonomous electric bus, a 12 metre-long single-deck bus with a capacity of almost 80 passengers (36 seated) is now undergoing field trials in Singapore.
The bus has been developed with Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU), whose partnership with the city-state’s land transport authority (LTA) has seen it develop and conduct autonomous bus trials for fixed route and scheduled services.
The autonomous bus is a Volvo 7900 electric bus equipped with sensors and navigation controls handled by an artificial intelligence (AI) system, and is the first of two buses which undergone preliminary testing at the Centre of Excellence for Testing and Research of Autonomous vehicles at NTU (CETRAN).
The sensors include light detection and ranging sensors (LIDARS), stereo-vision cameras that capture images in 3D, and an advanced global navigation satellite system that uses real-time kinematics, says Volvo. These are connected to an inertial management unit (IMU) which measures the lateral and angular rates of the bus, aiding in navigation over uneven terrain and around sharp bends for a smoother ride.
The bus will be tested on NTU campus grounds, while the second autonomous Volvo 7900 bus will undergo tests at an SMRT-managed bus depot, and will assess the vehicle’s ability to autonomously navigate into vehicle washing bays and park safely at charging areas.
Volvo partner ABB will also be developing a fast-charge solution, one that is based on the OppCharge concept and is suited for autonomous charging in depots as well as in running traffic, the busmaker said. Charge of 300 kW is offered via a pantograph on the infrastructure, and the setup will recharge a bus battery in three to six minutes, it said.
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Meanwhile we have ministers here promising us flying cars soon. Autonomous bus is like so yesterday’s technology.
It is still tested within NTU compound so it basically not yet ready for use on Singapore roads. More of a PR show by both.
Not really that exciting since Volvo Bus had trialed autonomous buses on the roads in Gothenburg to transport passengers for the Volvo Ocean Race event. This is more like a step back into controlled testing environment.
Again, another country has overtaken Malaysia. Singapore is far sighted like Thailand. They know how to attract investments. Even Dyson is opening their EV car plant in Singapore despite labour being so expensive.
Car, battery and truck/bus companies are opening in Singapore because investors there don’t have to give 30% of their company away free. The investor can own 100% of their investment in the local company.
I hope Malaysia wakes up. Because the past 20 years, we already lost few hundred thousand billions in USD (RM Trillions) plus few hundred thousand jobs to Thailand.
In the 80s, we were the CKD capital of Asia. Everybody wanted to CKD in Malaysia. Now all lari to Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore.
Malaysians have woken up and realised they had made the wrong choice. Now they are on the road to recover starting with the 2 last by elections. Keep the momentum going and all rakyat will fully awoken to the grave error they did in May 9 2018, they already seen how much investment and FDI was lost in just 10 months.
Government change just means 100 Cabinet members changed. That’s all. The 1.6 million Government servants remain the same and these fellows love dedak.
Irrespective of which Government comes in, the love for dedak will never change.
The 1.6 million civil servants doesn’t set all these lousy and ridiculous policies. Their duties are only to carry them out. If you are looking to lay blame it is those 100 useless Cabinet ministers we elected in. They are solely responsible for these brainless policies. Very regret voting for them.
when majority is lazy and don’t want to work….very difficult
Well, it is not so difficult to chase after those 100 lazy and don’t want to work ministers. Stop idolising them and put pressure on them to work. That is all.
Putrajaya is all lazy. All want their old easy goyang kaki life back. Now they have to work hard, so they are angry with PH
Of course they are all angry with PH! Came in with so much talk and promises but in the end only talk remains while they goyang kaki in opis. Even the hardworking civil servants cannot take the laziness of their ministers anymore.
The Volvo group on a roll again. Lotus all-new sports car next year, Lynk&Co 01 start selling in emission free Europe. Mercedes-AMG models PHEV too
Singapore road is no challenge at all. Come and try to drive in Malaysian road.
Malaysia road is no challenge at all. Come and try to drive in Indonesian road.
Indonesian road is no challenge at all. Come and try to drive in Indian road.
Indonesia road is no challenge at all. Come and try to drive in Vietnam road.