Reader Response Draft v1

In the article, “Singapore revs up engines for autonomous vehicle race”, Noble (2019) mentions the growing trend of Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) in Singapore. To incorporate AVs into Singapore’s transport system, four organizations have adjudicated a temporary national standard termed Technical Reference 68 (TR68). According to Fitch Ratings, the implementation of TR68 would promote the growth and acceptance of AVs in Singapore. This would also further entice autonomous technology firms into Singapore. With the combined factors of the ageing population and the pressure to monitor the drivers’ mental capabilities, the government is viewing into the option of AVs. Elaine Chao (2019) stresses that “AV could pave the way for road safety, citing that 94% of vehicular accidents have taken place due to human error”. AVs would not only benefit the safety of the aged but also opens up mobility opportunities for people with disabilities. In summary, Noble (2019) asserts that the emergence of AVs could positively impact Singapore soon.

In spite of AVs being implemented in nations like the US, AVs has yet to reach the implementation phase in Singapore due to many constraints.

Despite the application of TR68, there is an increasing concern with regards to the safety of AVs. As the roads on Singapore are often congested and fast-paced, the sensors on AVs might not be able to collect data effectively to make the right decisions when driving. With different motorists having unique driving habits and practices, this could disrupt the algorithm thinking of the AV. According to Channel News Asia (2019), “the number of red-light running violations spiked by 15.7 percent to 53,910 cases”. Reckless motorists, which would potentially break traffic laws like drink driving and illegal U-turns, could post a threat to AVs. Moreover, tangibles from pedestrians, who jaywalk or dash across the road, have made AV testing hard. Grabar (2018) reported that the first pedestrian death caused by a self-driving car in Arizona. With growing uncertainties, AVs have yet to gain the confidence and acceptance of the general public to lead the way for implementation.

Secondly, AVs require a substantial financial investment into its development, software, and hardware. Self-driving car start-up, nuTonomy, is aiding Singapore in its development for AV capabilities and have also received strong governmental support alongside EDBI Pte Ltd. According to Toh (2019), Volvo Buses and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) is also increasing its investment in developing autonomous vehicles in Singapore despite having placed a significant sum into the joint project. Furthermore, Singapore has also established a Centre of Excellence for Testing & Research of AVs – NTU (CETRAN) in 2017. CETRAN consists of a test town for the AVs completed with traffic lights, bus stops, skyscrapers, and a rain-making machine. In a sacred land country like Singapore, the allocation of land for CETRAN serves as a substantial asset investment into the development of AVs. These financial investments could have been used to reskill drivers’ proficiency or construct Singapore’s railway system to reduce congestion and possibly road accidents.

Lastly, AVs have also drawn concerns on the potential cyber threats and attacks. AVs contain multiple interfaces which serve as connections between the vehicle and its external network. This leaves the Key Vehicle Interfaces, including safety-critical systems like braking and steering, vulnerable to cyberattacks. Also, the wireless transmission of data could be hijacked and exploited by hackers and potential terrorist groups for data collection purposes or if worst, used to execute a real-world cyber-attack. According to Oriti (2017), critical infrastructure networks maintained by the government could be vulnerable to major cyberattacks to create distrust politically. Not excluding Singapore, our country has also been at the forefront of such cyberattack like the recent SingHealth Cyber Attack in 2019. Thus, the potential cyber risk of AVs calls for a need for cybersecurity to safeguard its passengers and data. 

In conclusion, despite the availability of AV technology in the market, there are multiple constraints for the implementation in Singapore’s transport system. Unlike other countries that have implemented AVs, Singapore has a unique transport system. The government would have to come out with solutions to mitigate these constraints while safeguarding the motorists and pedestrians on the road.

References

Noble, L. W. (2019, July 8). Singapore revs up engines for autonomous vehicle race. Retrieved from https://sbr.com.sg/transport-logistics/exclusive/singapore-revs-engines-autonomous-vehicle-race

Hancock, P. A., Nourbakhsh, I. A., & Stewart, J. A. (2019, January 14). On the future of transportation in an era of automated and autonomous vehicles. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30642956

More drink-driving accidents, motorists running red lights: Police Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/more-ran-red-lights-drink-driving-accidents-in-2018-police-11275082. (2019, February 21). Channel News Asia.

Grabar, H. (2018, March 19). Uber Crash in Arizona Kills Woman in First Pedestrian Death Caused by a Self-Driving Car. SLATE. Retrieved from https://amp.slate.com/technology/2018/03/uber-crash-kills-woman-in-first-pedestrian-death-caused-by-a-self-driving-car.html

World’s first driverless taxi system comes to Singapore. (2016, August 16). EDB Singapore. Retrieved from https://www.edb.gov.sg/en/news-and-events/insights/innovation/world-s-first-driverless-taxi-system-comes-to-singapore.html

Toh, T. W. (2019, March 6). Singapore at the forefront with driverless vehicles. The Straits Times. Retrieved from https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/spore-at-the-forefront-with-driverless-vehicles

Centre of Excellence for Testing & Research of AVs - NTU (CETRAN). (n.d.). Retrieved September 30, 2019, from http://erian.ntu.edu.sg/Programmes/IRP/FMSs/Pages/Centre-of-Excellence-for-Testing-Research-of-AVs-NTU-CETRAN.aspx.

Sagar, M. (2019, February 18). Singapore ranks second globally in Autonomous Vehicle Readiness report. Open Gov Asia. Retrieved from https://www.opengovasia.com/singapore-ranks-second-globally-in-autonomous-vehicle-readiness-report/

What is an Autonomous Car? (n.d.). Retrieved September 30, 2019, from https://www.synopsys.com/automotive/what-is-autonomous-car.html.

Office, U. S. G. A. (2016, April 25). Vehicle Cybersecurity: DOT and Industry Have Efforts Under Way, but DOT Needs to Define Its Role in Responding to a Real-world Attack. Retrieved September 30, 2019, from https://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-16-350.

Taeihagh, A., & Lim, H. S. M. (2018, July 11). Governing autonomous vehicles: emerging responses for safety, liability, privacy, cybersecurity, and industry risks. Retrieved September 30, 2019, from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01441647.2018.1494640.

Oriti, T. (2017, October 23). Cyberterrorists targeting healthcare systems, critical infrastructure. ABC News. Retrieved from https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-23/forget-explosives,-terrorists-are-coming-after-cyber-systems/9076786