Skip to main content

Singapore to start truck platooning trials

Driverless trucks are set to be trialled on the streets of Singapore under an agreement between the country’s Singapore’s Ministry of Transport (MOT) and PSA Corporation and automotive companies Scania and Toyota Tsusho. The two companies will design, develop and test an autonomous truck platooning system for use on Singapore's public roads. The platoon will use public roads while transporting containers between port terminals in Singapore. The aim is to organise convoys of four trucks, with three au
January 10, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
Driverless trucks are set to be trialled on the streets of Singapore under an agreement between the country’s Singapore’s Ministry of Transport (MOT) and PSA Corporation and automotive companies 570 Scania and 1686 Toyota Tsusho.

The two companies will design, develop and test an autonomous truck platooning system for use on Singapore's public roads.

The platoon will use public roads while transporting containers between port terminals in Singapore. The aim is to organise convoys of four trucks, with three autonomously-driven trucks behind the lead truck, as well as to fully automate the processes for precise docking and undocking of cargo.

With vehicles in Singapore approaching one million, the initiative seeks to address the increasing travel demand and land constraints; 12 percent of Singapore’s total land is used for road and land transport infrastructure. Additionally, it faces a shortage of drivers.

It has therefore established Singapore as a “living laboratory” for new vehicle concepts that will increase productivity, road safety, optimise road capacity and enable new mobility concepts.

The truck platooning trials will take place in two phases. The first phase will focus on designing, testing and refining the truck platooning technology to adapt to local conditions. These will be conducted by Scania and Toyota at their respective research centres in Sweden and Japan, to leverage their existing development work. The second phase will consist of local trials and development of the technology in Singapore.

Related Content

  • June 1, 2017
    Driverless trucks: new report points out need for a managed transition
    Governments must consider ways to manage the transition to driverless trucks in order to avoid potential social disruption from job losses, says a new report published by the International Transport Forum (ITF) with three partner organisations.
  • April 4, 2017
    Toyota and NTT collaborate on platform for connected cars
    Toyota Motor Corporation and the Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT) have agreed to work together on connected car technology, combining their knowledge and expertise in automotive and information and communication technology (ICT) research and development. Their aim is to address a range of issues, including traffic accidents, congestion and the delivery of new mobility services, to help realise a future worldwide Smart Mobility Society. A field trial is planned for 2018 to assess the feasi
  • February 22, 2019
    Scania and Nobina to trial autonomous buses in Stockholm
    Scania has joined forces with public transport operator Nobina to trial autonomous buses on public roads in Stockholm. Two Scania Citywide LF electric buses will operate in the Barkaby area of the Swedish capital, around 20km from the centre. Both buses will operate along a dedicated 5km route with four stops. , Initially, they will be run in autonomous mode without passengers for a distance of 1km, while second stage tests are expected to carry up to 300 commuters per day. A safety driver will remai
  • May 30, 2014
    The Asia-Pacific poses a multitude of ITS challenges
    The Asia-Pacific ITS Forum and Exhibition in Auckland, New Zealand, provided a focus for the region’s ITS Associations. Mary Bell reports. In late April, ITS New Zealand hosted the 13th Asia-Pacific ITS Forum and Exhibition in Auckland. Around 350 delegates from 24 nations gathered to share and advance ITS applications on both strategic and technical levels and to discuss the differing and various challenges faced in the region.