These futuristic-looking, fully-automated ‘Group Rapid Transit’ pods that can ferry around up to 24 passengers at a time will be on Singapore roads by the end of 2016.
Put all the pods together, and you have a low-cost transit system that can transport up to 8000 passengers per hour in a single direction, says 2getthere, the Dutch maker.
So far there are limitations to their reach. The pods, which run on electricity, are able to travel autonomously on smaller roads, such as those within a gated community or school campus.
But it’s clear that the Singaporean transportation operator SMRT already sees the wider implications for the popular tourist destination for Australian families.
A Singaporean startup also recently announced the setting up of driverless taxis in the country, and overall, Singapore is eager to see the technology plough its roads soon.
A recent report says the price of a family sedan in Singapore could equal a home in the U.S., and an MIT study suggested automated cars could potentially reduce the congestion on the densely-populated island by around 60%.
A cleantech business park in Abu Dhabi, Masdar City, has used pods made by 2getthere and SMRT since 2010. They look like smaller versions of the pods due to hit the roads of Singapore.
In the video below, you can see how the Abu Dhabi pods seamlessly run.
The company has also built a similar system for Rotterdam’s Rivium Business Park.
This has six running vehicles which can carry 20 passengers each. 2getthere says the pods are used by 2500 people each day.
For a closer look at why Singapore is a tourist hot-spot for Australian families, click here.
