News Roundup: Singapore Adds Hybrid Buses to Its List of Driverless Options, Fisker Teases Its Answer to Tesla’s Model 3, and More
Jennifer van der Kleut
A look at some of the most interesting headlines to come out of the driverless, connected-car world this week.
Driverless taxis and shuttles test so well, Singapore moves on to buses
After public tests of self-driving taxis and shuttles have gone so well, Singapore is already planning to expand its driverless transportation offerings. This week, news outlets like TechCrunch, Engadget and ChannelNewsAsia gave a sneak peek of designs for driverless hybrid buses that feature Lidar, V2X capabilities and even night-vision. An initial pilot launch will apparently consist of two full-size buses that will transport passengers between Nanyang Technological University and CleanTech Park, and potentially even beyond to Pioneer MRT station. The first route has been tested with a driverless shuttle since 2013, TechCrunch reports. See maps of the routes and read more information about the buses and testing on TechCrunch.
Henrik Fisker posts teaser photo of driverless car he says will give Tesla a run for its money
Renowned automotive designer Henrik Fisker teased fans this week by posting two photos of what he says is his forthcoming autonomous-capable car that will give Tesla’s Model 3 a run for its money. The first photo is dark and only shows the front bumper, but was enough to get people excited. The second photo is a dark silhouette of the entire car with its wing-style doors up. Fisker said the long-range electric car will eventually have full autonomous capabilities, and that he is teaming up with a top automotive supplier for the autonomous system, though he declined to state which one. Read more from the Business Journal.
Wanis Kabbaj’s TED Talk: What a driverless world would look like
Transportation geek Wanis Kabbaj thinks we can find inspiration in the genius of human biology to design the transit systems of the future. In his recent TED Talk, Kabbaj asks, what if traffic flowed through our streets as smoothly and efficiently as blood flows through our veins? Get a closer look at Kabbaj’s vision and hear his TED Talk on Ted.com.
Images courtesy of Henrik Fisker