Grab has begun trialling an autonomous electric shuttle bus in a six-month long pilot project in Singapore. During the period, the bus will provide first- and last-mile commutes for Grab employees over a 3.9 km-long fixed route from the company’s one-north office with the nearby one-north Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station.
Working in collaboration with Autonomous A2Z (A2Z), a Korean full-stack autonomous vehicle technology company, Grab has fitted the BYD electric mini bus with A2Z’s autonomous software and hardware alongside Grab’s Internet of Things (IoT) devices.
Equipped with 11 sensors, including LiDAR, radar and cameras, the autonomous shuttle has a 360-degree view of its surroundings, enabling it to detect and safely manoeuvre around new objects and sudden obstacles. During the trials, a trained safety operator will be present in the driver’s seat at all times to ensure passenger safety and smooth operation.
Prior to its deployment, the autonomous shuttle underwent over 100 hours of tests over the route, collecting information such as road infrastructure, traffic lights, lane markings and detecting pedestrians, vehicles and obstacles. Data annotation, which involved labelling objects with attributes such as size, speed and direction, was also carried out.
The shuttle has been programmed to proactively respond to real-world scenarios, such as stopping at zebra crossings, traffic lights and fine-tuning driving controls for a smooth ride experience. If an issue with the sensors or systems is detected, the in-built safety algorithm will ensure the bus comes to a safe and complete stop.
The autonomous shuttle will operate for two hours daily during off-peak periods, with additional hours dedicated to training and tech work. Grab and A2Z stated that they will closely monitor ride performance and safety outcomes before opening up more time slots.
Grab employees can track the shuttle schedule, vehicle location and, in the future, seat availability directly from the Grab app. Onboard KartaDashcam devices will detect onboard passenger numbers and capture live images of vehicle location, which will then be synced with the Grab app, providing employees with the latest information.
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Meanwhile, alot people also has experienced Malaysia’s on Trial Autonomous Rapid Transit @ Putrajaya
2024 had 3months free ride for this 307 capacity Autopilot Tri-Bus
https://agnibrainly.netlify.app/2024/05/14/autonomous-rapid-transit-art-is-now-in-putrajaya-two-lines-three-month-trial-till-july-31-free-to-ride/
not suitable for the majority of msian roads. road condition, blur lines, parked cars, bikes, etc etc