Singapore’s first electric driverless shuttle transportation system
will soon see passengers shuttling between the campuses of a local university and business park.

In a partnership between Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and JTC Corp. and Induct Technologies, manufacturer of the Navia autonomous electric shuttle, the new vehicle is expected to ply the 1.2-mile route providing an environmentally-friendly alternative mode of transportation.

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Navia is a robotic driverless electric vehicle, which can carry up to eight passengers. The innovative vehicle has been designed to complement conventional transport (public or private) by taking care of the “last mile,” as well as the first.

Traveling on its own at a maximum speed of 12.5 mph, the shuttle carries people independently and in complete safety, thanks to its onboard lasers and sensors that enable it to avoid obstacles in its path, or to stop if it detects a pedestrian, according to company officials.

When users get on board the shuttle they find a touchscreen offering the various stops the shuttle goes to. They select their destination on the screen, and the shuttle automatically sets off for it. Once there, the doors open to let passengers get off and on.

Being electric, the Navia is silent; it recharges itself unaided at a docking station and needs no special infrastructure such as rails, so it can work on any kind of site.

The two-year collaboration will see the Energy Research Institute at NTU  test and optimise Induct’s electric shuttle NAVIA and enable it to intermingle safely with traffic in Singapore. The Institute and Induct will also work to improve and enhance electric vehicle battery reliability and charging speeds.