This week, EasyMile’s fully autonomous NUSmart Shuttle began passenger service at the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Kent Ridge campus.

Part of a year-long study, the trial, which is free to all commuters, is designed to determine the commercial viability of providing safe autonomous shuttle bus services. The shuttle will operate along a predefined route.

“As a pioneer in autonomous vehicle technologies, EasyMile is proud to support its partners in testing the integration of our autonomous shuttle for public transportation,” says Alexandre Pequignot, EasyMile Business Development & Partnership manager for Asia Pacific.

“We have supported more than 230 deployments worldwide in various environments and this project will give us more insights for future deployments in Singapore.”

The shuttle, which is an EasyMile EZ10 autonomous shuttle, will operate Mondays through Fridays on 20-minute intervals during set times. The operating hours are expected to increase progressively during the trial.

The shuttle will not operate when it rains during the initial phase of the trial, in an effort to enable the vehicle to calibrate its internal systems, but EasyMile says that a wet weather service could be available at a later stage. 

Running entirely on electricity, the NUSmart Shuttle can carry up to 12 people, and can also accommodate a wheelchair. It also has an in-built access ramp for mobility challenged passengers.

A safety operator will be on board the shuttle while it is moving during the trial, to address enquires from commuters, and to make sure that the vehicle is operating safely.

The shuttle is equipped with a full range of sensors that help it detect and avoid potential obstacles. To navigate on the roads without help from external infrastructure, the shuttle relies on its own internal array of software and hardware technologies.

EasyMile notes that this trial is the first autonomous shuttle bus to be operated by a land transport operator in real mixed traffic conditions, alongside regular buses, cars and motorcycles. The NUSmart Shuttle is funded and imported by Inchcape Singapore, and it will be operated by ComfortDelGro’s wholly-owned subsidiary, ComfortDelGro Bus Pte Ltd.

“This passenger service trial provides us with an opportunity to observe how passengers respond to an autonomous vehicle,” says Yang Ban Seng, ComfortDelGro managing director and Group CEO.

“The operational experience gained will also be invaluable as we prepare for a future where autonomous and artificial intelligence becomes an integral part of our daily commute.”