Singapore began testing automatic taxi based electric – Overclockers.ru

The legislative relief have long attracted developers’ robomobiley “in the US, where testing of prototypes are allowed on public roads, provided the presence of the wheel of the test driver, ready at any moment to intervene in automation jobs. However, this does not mean that you can not auto transport experience in other countries – in Finland, for example, the law does not require the presence of a driver in public transport

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We have recently reported about Uber service intentions to start trial operation of robotic taxis based crossover Volvo XC90 in Pittsburgh, US, but some US companies are willing to carry out similar experiments in other countries. For example, developers nuTonomy profile applications, as reported by Reuters, We have already started trial operation of automatic taxi in one of Singapore’s business district.

Image Source: Reuters

As a platform for its services nuTonomy chose electric Mitsubishi i-MiEV (pictured above) and Renault ZOE. They have received the appropriate equipment to navigate the terrain, to recognize the surrounding objects and traffic signals.

Image Source: Reuters

The cameras are installed behind the windshield in the cabin of electric vehicles, sensors are present on the front fenders, bumper and in the roof. In the latter case we are talking about “lidar” Velodyne production.

Image Source: Reuters

Ability to use automated taxi in a single area of ​​Singapore received free volunteers who nuTonomy allowed to install a special application on the smartphone to call “robotaksi”.

Image Source: Reuters

During the trips the driver’s seat will be “insuring the driver.” nuTonomy expects to be able to create a fleet of a hundred automated taxi to 2018, and stored in the Singapore test information will help to better adapt them to the real world. However, if we talk about used electric cars, then the product Mitsubishi power reserve does not exceed 150 km and the vehicle Renault is ready to drive about 350 km on a single charge. Even for the transportation of passengers over short distances in a small country this is hardly enough for a successful commercial operation. Not the fact, however, that the serial taxi with the autopilot in Singapore will use the same electric models.