Singapore: The Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (Smart) in collaboration with the National University of Singapore has launched driverless car, SCOT. Singapore’s first locally-developed driverless car, short for ‘Shared Computer Operated Transport’, is initially retrofitted from a Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric car, and will ply the roads of the NUS campus as researchers seek to improve the technology.
Researchers revealed that the car features a low-cost remote sensing technology called LiDAR, which costs only a fraction of expensive 3D laser sensors currently used in robot cars. LiDAR’s technology uses laser’s focused imaging and radar’s distance calculation capabilities.
The researchers said SCOT is designed for public roads, is able to operate at a higher speed than current autonomous versions and is able to sense obstacles, and work well in poor lighting as well as in moderate rain.
Professor Emilio Frazzoli, SMART’s lead investigator for the Future Urban Mobility Interdisciplinary Research Group said in a statement that SCOT is a testimony of the researchers and students’ talent, innovation and dedication, considering that “we converted the electric car into a driverless car in just six months at no more than $30,000 for the sensors and onboard computer”.
Source: Eco Business
