Self-driving cars won’t impact taxi and private-hailing drivers’ jobs soon, authorities to provide training support for the transition

SINGAPORE: The Singapore government’s autonomous vehicle programme, which is said to deploy self-driving technology in public transport, has sparked concerns about drivers who might be affected, especially the point-to-point transport service providers. 

Senior Minister of State for Transport and National Development, Sun Xueling, has addressed these concerns. She believes that there will be little to no impact in the early stages on the existing taxi and private-hailing car drivers due to the limited number of vehicles. However, in the long run, the government will launch a training programme for drivers who may be affected so they can acquire a new skill and find new jobs in the self-driving car industry or other fields. 

What are autonomous vehicles (AV)?

Autonomous Vehicle (AV) technology will play an important role in Singapore’s Smart Mobility plans as it aims to improve public transport. New technologies like AV can help Singapore with its limited workforce and changing travel needs in a safe and effective way. 

Some of the advantages of AVs are:

• Efficient transport, as AVs adjust to routes and schedules based on real-time demands. 
• Reduced workforce conflicts as it can take over repetitive tasks without getting tired. 
• Improved road safety as AVs use advanced sensors to see their surroundings, follow traffic rules, and navigate the streets safely. 

Given all these benefits, Sun Xueling said self-driving cars can improve Singapore’s public transportation without being restricted by manpower. 

What will happen in the pilot testing?

The government will initially provide self-driving car shuttle services to towns with fixed routes and schedules, making it easier for people to travel to and from transportation hubs and usual places. 

The pilot testing of these vehicles will be conducted in Punggol, using three different Chinese self-driving car models operated by Grab and ComfortDelGro. If the pilot testing is successful, authorities will expand services to more towns, including Tengah. 

Aside from self-driving cars, the Land Transport Authority will also test self-driving buses to run on routes such as Route 400, which serves the Marina Bay area and Route 191, serving the One-Way area.

How safe are these self-driving vehicles?

Every self-driving vehicle will undergo a safety assessment before deploying to public roads. These vehicles must be able to interact safely with other road users and obey traffic rules. Furthermore, all self-driving cars must be operated by a safety operator at all times. 

Moreover, these cars will also be insured with third-party liability insurance, which covers death, personal injury and property damage. When an accident occurs, the victims will receive compensation.