Thursday 28 Mar 2024
By
main news image

SINGAPORE (Jan 10): Trucks transporting containers between port terminals in Singapore may soon come without a driver.

The Ministry of Transport (MOT) and PSA Corporation on Monday announced that they have tied up with two automotive companies, Scania and Toyota Tsusho, to design, develop and test-bed an autonomous truck platooning system for use on Singapore's public roads.

Truck platooning involves a human-driven lead truck leading a convoy of driverless trucks.

How truck platooning works

The truck platooning trials will take place in two phases over a three-year period from January 2017 to December 2019.

The first phase, lasting about a year, will focus on designing, testing and refining the truck platooning technology to adapt to local conditions. The trials will be conducted by Scania and Toyota in their respective research centres in Sweden and Japan.

Depending on the outcomes of the phase 1 trials, MOT and PSA Corporation will then select one of the companies for phase 2, which will consist of local trials and some development of the technology in Singapore.

In the Singapore trials, the trucks will transport containers from one port terminal to another – on a designated 10-km long test route along West Coast Highway.

In a joint statement on Monday, MOT and PSA Corporation say the trials will initially involve inter-terminal haulage between Brani Terminal and Pasir Panjang Terminals. The trials may eventually be scaled up for haulage within the port area, as well as between Pasir Panjang Terminals and Tuas Port.

“Efficient freight movement is critical to the competitiveness of our port. Truck platooning will also alleviate our shortage of manpower, and allow more freight movement to be conducted at night to ease traffic congestion,” MOT and PSA Corporation say.

“Trucking as we know it today is a highly labour-intensive industry. We face a shortage of truck drivers,” says Pang Kin Keong, Permanent Secretary for Transport and Chairman of the Committee on Autonomous Road Transport in Singapore (CARTS).

“In this regard, truck platooning technology presents us with an opportunity to boost productivity in both the port sector and the trucking industry. It will also open up opportunities for truck drivers to take on higher-skilled roles as fleet operators and managers,” Pang adds.

“As PSA prepares for our future terminals at Tuas, it is timely that we move on to the next steps in developing autonomous truck platooning technology,” says Ong Kim Pong, Regional CEO Southeast Asia, PSA International.

“I am excited by the progress being made, as it underlines our joint commitment to being future-ready, while also helping us continue to serve our customers better through fast and efficient inter-terminal container movement,” Ong adds.

      Print
      Text Size
      Share