While Google, Tesla, BMW and the more are busy designing self-autonomous cars, one firm in Singapore is looking to utilise the technology to create a fleet of self-driving taxis. We love hailing an Uber, so why not order a cab without a driver?
That's what Delphi is preparing to test following a new deal signed with the government of Singapore, with a fleet of six vehicles planned for the new project. Since Delphi is only planning a small number of cabs, the self-driving program will be restricted to a four-mile stretch of road in a business park on the western side of the city.
Delphi isn't rushing into the idea either - the tests will last for approximately three years, with the first year resigned for research and development. In fact, it won't be until the second year that the Delphi-powered taxis will hit the private test site.
According to an interview with Engadget, Delphi says it's working to create a complete software infrastructure for its new taxi service, linking vehicles, payments, cloud services and more into one cohesive ecosystem. Delphi really wants to create something that can rival the likes of Uber when it eventually launches.
Delphi and Singapore's taxi pilot will still take a while to get an official launch on public roads, with the current plan to get the service rolling by 2022. Yet with the recent crash involving a Tesla self-autonomous car still fresh in the news, it's likely Delphi will want to wait until public confidence in self-driving cars is restored.
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