Autonomous taxis start service in Singapore

A limited public trial on the streets of Singapore has started recently to operate autonomous taxis. 
Customers of this experiment download an app and ride for free in its “robo-taxi” in a western Singapore hi-tech business district. 
The operators are hoping to get feedback ahead of a planned full launch of the service in 2018.
“This is really a moment in history that’s going to change how cities are built, how we really look at our surroundings,” executive Doug Parker from the development company nuTonomy said.
The trial rides took place in a Mitsubishi i-MiEv electric vehicle, with an engineer sitting behind the steering wheel to monitor the system and take control if necess The trial is ongoing, nuTonomy said, and follows private testing that began in April.
Parker, whose company has partnered with the Singapore government on the project, said he hoped to have 100 taxis working commercially in the southeast Asian city-state by 2018.
Nutonomy is one of several companies racing to launch self-driving vehicles, with automakers and technology firms striking new alliances.

Source: Arab News