https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10154186017858209&id=676533208
Self-driven truck. Unknown Volvo model.
Bowah, this should be good news for you. At least casket vehicles haven't gone driverless yet.
http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/all-electric-taxi-fleet-may-hit-the-roads-soon?xtor=EREC-16-1[ST_Newsletter_AM]-20160612-[All-electric+taxi+fleet+may+hit+the+roads+soon]&xts=538291
The articles explains the 2000 charging points that you refused to elaborate previously.
Good thing that are only introducing very small amount of cars to access the suitability before making decisions for the bulk of the taxis.
Just wondering how long it takes to fully charge up the batteries and how far one can go for 1 full charge and the maximum speed one can travel on the roads with such cars. Would definitely be interesting to find out the situations just before handing over the vehicles to the next shift people.
Yes NT, this was what I was referring to when I mentioned the charging points. That the driverless taxis will hit the roads sooner than you think. But it is left to be seen. This company only has a fleet of 30 cars. I believe they need to have minimum 400 to start a taxi company. Are they willing to take such a risk? Unless LTA bend the rules again.
There are worrying issues with the BYD electric cars from HDT taxi coy. Firstly byd is a chinese company. Which means their batteries are made in china. This also means the maximum recharging cycle will not exceed 1000 times, unlike made in japan ones which can go up to 5000 cycles. Due to heavy usage, the maximum mileage from the battery will also start degrading as the car ages. Now the byd taxis are still new. Things can only go downhill. Over time, the quality of china batteries usually declines due to chinese manufacturers habit of cutting corners and removing one or two ingredients in their products as time passes in order to sell at low prices even as their costs go up.
I dont imagine things. All my claims are based on my observations of real made in china automotive products.
You are wrong on this. It matters a whole lot where your goods are made.
I just give you one example. We all know that Rolls Royce has a Seletar campus that assembles the Trent 900 and 1000 aero engines for Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 respectively.
Rolls Royce website also says the Trent 900 engines were delivered to France for Airbus.
What is missing from all the information is which airline the made-in-Singapore Trent 900s went to.
Did you know these made-in-Singapore aero engines went to African and Taiwan airlines ?
Are you aware that these made-in-Singapore aero engines are not wanted by American, European, Japanese and Singapore airlines? Where did you think our own SIA A380 aero engines came from ? Not Singapore hor. Seletar Rolls Royce assembles the Trent 900s for A380s, but it is not meant for SIA.
Iphones are a different story. It is designed in California but built in China. I am fine with that.
Do you want a 'designed and made in china' oppo, vivo and xiaomi smartphone? Not me for sure. I dont see people using in the MRT either. I am sure there are people who want them. But since you want an android phone, most people would rather pay a bit more for a samsung.
If made-in-china was so good, many people will surely buy. I also will buy. But hello, until today the only nice looking made-in-china product I can find is in geylang. China got many beautiful women. But when it comes to investing in design, research and testing, they just could not care. The chinese, japanese and korean people are all Han people. But we all know Japanese are known for orderliness, cleanliness and making at least decent stuff. Ah Tiongs until today are known for profit at any cost, you die your business. With this kind of mentality - I will not dare to buy their cars, motorcycles or planes (as though I am so rich - chey..).
If china was so good, why Rolls Royce did not set up an aero engine assembly plant there? Rolls Royce got factories in China producing locomotive engines and various aeroplane parts, but not the aero engine.
So it goes to show that when it comes to critical things involving lives - china still cannot pull their act together. This problem extends out to their pharmaceutical industry as well. I mean - Mr Bowah if you are sick or if your family members are sick - would you pay more for your drugs, or ask your doctor for the cheapest made-in-china medicine (not possible here of course but its just an example)?
You want NTUC to sell you made-in-china infant milk powder ? pork ? Certain things like oranges, coffee, chilli sauce, noodles is fine. But there are some things that are quite sensitive. People naturally will avoid made-in-china one.
I agree with ft. If you read this article you will see that BYD isn't doing too well. Tesla, on the other hand, is reaping profits. But then BYD is far cheaper, especially if one has to buy minimum 400 cars to start taxi company.
[url] http://www.afr.com/technology/warren-buffettbacked-byd-seeks-tesla-buzz-for-its-dynasty-cars-20160412-go4weh [/url]
If there are sanctions against China, I very much doubt it would include closing down of foreign manufacturing plants in China. At most it would be imposing a limit on exports of China made goods. Reason is, too many countries have already invested too much into China, and even the Chinese govt knows that. Don't forget we got out SIP project there. Sg govt sure to protest.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/mobile/singapore/this-born-in-singapore/2894522.html
Made in Singapore. Our very own.
It will get worse in future for the future generations in Singapore, especially when we are moving towards being more technological advanced. Some technologies can be accepted but some technologies are going to take our jobs away.
Pretty worried for those who want to be a taxi driver till retirement. Now the govt is going towards the wrong direction of pushing towards driverless cars. Imagine how many people will become jobless in Singapore in future. If then, what is the point of having 6.9 and even 10 million people in Singapore where many people are jobless due to technologies that take away jobs they want?
I believe everyone would prefer to drive a taxi than to wash toilets/dishes till retirement. Instead of wasting money on driverless cars, why not spend money building robots that clean public toilets?
Have a thought.
Driverless cars got massive appeal. Its a proven fact. Many people are willing to pay top dollars for it - in many countries.
Cleaning robots got how much appeal? How much it costs to develop? How much can you sell? How many people want to buy at your price point?
Running a country is not about making sure everyone is well fed and well taken care of - although it is important to make people feel that way. It is about keeping the country relevant in terms of high tech, and making sure the GDP figures are nice, and the country is rich. As for the citizens under its care, the job of our politicians is to mesmerize you with sweet promises during election time. Just like you, the bottom line is having the cash flow to run the government and military machinery.
Whether electric vehicles threaten cabbies future or not hardly matters. No pun intended. The government cannot be wibbly wobbly feely wheely towards people who may be headed for a dire future - although they cannot bluntly say it. They must wayang abit but at the end of the day - you die your business.
Originally posted by f1taxidriver:Driverless cars got massive appeal. Its a proven fact. Many people are willing to pay top dollars for it - in many countries.
Cleaning robots got how much appeal? How much it costs to develop? How much can you sell? How many people want to buy at your price point?
Running a country is not about making sure everyone is well fed and well taken care of - although it is important to make people feel that way. It is about keeping the country relevant in terms of high tech, and making sure the GDP figures are nice, and the country is rich. As for the citizens under its care, the job of our politicians is to mesmerize you with sweet promises during election time. Just like you, the bottom line is having the cash flow to run the government and military machinery.
Whether electric vehicles threaten cabbies future or not hardly matters. No pun intended. The government cannot be wibbly wobbly feely wheely towards people who may be headed for a dire future - although they cannot bluntly say it. They must wayang abit but at the end of the day - you die your business.
What talked you? Proven fact got massive appeal? Show us the report....
Currently only tested on the roads in USA on not busy roads at 50 km/h. Remember our streets are a lot more congested and our requirement is up to 90 km/h.
Let them implement successfully in those countries that design and manufacture them before we consider whether to implement or not. There is hardly any tangible benefits for being one of the first few to implement them ( remember we are not a car manufacturing country ).
Safeguarding Singaporeans jobs should be no 1 priority of the government. Even citizens who are not currently taxi drivers may find themselves one day needing to become taxi drivers. Always remember this, after age of 45, very hard to find a good job (remember it is 17 years from 45 to retirement age of 62). Remember in Singapore, you must always take into counsideration the Singapore National Pledge..... in case you forgot, read it here again: http://www.nhb.gov.sg/resources/national-symbols/national-pledge . Taking away Singaporeans' jobs and backup jobs is not happiness for Singaporeans but happiness for foreigners since they get to manufacture more components and get to sell at higher prices to us. Remember the countries pushing for driverless taxis get to design and manufacture them and they have very high taxi fares therefore they need them whereas we do not get to manufacture them (and at most limited designing of them) and we have relatively low taxi fares. Can we survive without driverless taxis? Yes.
I can foresee it in those countries pushing for driverless taxis finding themselves poorer since the eliminated taxi drivers would be on social welfare as they would not be able to find another good job ( so it means instead of generating tax money for the government, they would burden those countries by taking money (remember these money could be better used on other things) from them. Their kids would also be very dependant on financial aids for education ).
Check again the taxi prices of developed countries from here: http://www.priceoftravel.com/555/world-taxi-prices-what-a-3-kilometer-ride-costs-in-72-big-cities/ .
Also remember all these facts about Singapore:
Hotel prices: same as other developed countries
Home prices: same as other developed countries
Basic items: more expensive than other developed countries.
Cost of putting car on the roads: Probably the most expensive in the world ( recently COE price came down for a while only to be spoiled by Uber )
Food prices (hawker centres and coffee shops): cheaper than other developed countries
Cost of Tobacco products: Among the highest in the world
Cost of alcoholic beveledges: Among the highest in the world
Taxi prices: Among the cheapest by developed countries' standard (despite the highest cost of putting cars to road and high road taxs for diesel cars [approximately $6000 a year] )
Salaries of politicians: Highest in the world.( determined by a public panel rather than politicians with consideration of getting top grade people to work for the government )
Salaries of ordinary citizens: Among the lowest by developed countries' standard
Personal Income Tax: Low by developed countries' standard.
Corporate Income Tax: Low by developed countries' standard.
Social welfare: Almost non-existent. If you do not work, you do not get money. This is unlike many welfare states whereby you are paid if you do not work.
So where do we REALLY need improvements and adjustments?
Very important fact to consider too: Later on when more and more companies in Singapore find the city too expensive and relocate to other countries or downsize by retrenching, what jobs could Singaporeans who are retrenched after age of 45 work as? People pushing for new things also give a false illusion. They would not be really generating 1000-3000 new jobs, they would be generating -52000 to -54000 new jobs.
I agree with F1. The government will please the majority, and the majority of the people will welcome Driverless Taxis (DTs). Let me give some reasons.
Some reasons why DTs will have mass appeal
Many people will embrace DTs for various reasons. The first will be LTA. DTs will be able to achieve the TA standards they came up with. Perhaps it is precisely for this reason the TA standards were introduced. There will be no more cases of TDs being found dead in their cabs.
DTs do not have to change shift. They do not need lunch breaks, toilet breaks, “bak bak” breaks etc. So achieving the TA standards will be a breeze.
TCs will also welcome DTs.
Firstly they will no longer have to pay fines for not achieving TA standards as, with the introduction of DTs, that will be history. Also, they will save maintenance costs as there will be fewer accidents and less replacement for wear and tear. Let me elaborate.
DTs will not travel at 116 km/h along airport boulevard just to get ahead of the taxi queue. As a result, there will be less accidents along airport boulevard, and of course on other roads as well, as they are programmed to drive defensively. They wiil not accelerate like F1 cars and then suddenly stepping on the brakes to stop abruptly. This will cause less wear and tear on brakes, tyres and other moving parts, which means less downtime, less parts replacements and higher overall profits. DTs will not bang tables or throw keys, thus making the working environment of their staff less stressful. DTs will not complain if servicing takes too long.
The public will also welcome DTs.
First and foremost, it is because of cheaper fares. Certain surcharges may be done away with, and DTs will not cpcb about it. They will not have to fear being scolded by the DT just because they are travelling from airport to Pasir Ris, or have to make multiple stops. DTs will not insist on cash payment only. In fact, I believe all payments will be cashless. This also makes them less prone to robbery and kidnapping. DTs will not discriminate against Indians. They will accept any passenger, regardless of race, language or religion.
The uncles who work at the petrol kiosks will also welcome DTs. It is because DTs will not urinate all over the floor or on the toilet seats, thus inconveniencing other users as well as making them have to clean the toilets more frequently. A couple of days ago, believe it or not, I witnessed something I could not believe. This taxi driver went into the toilet, saw the toilet seat up, brought it down and then urinated. Whatever the logic of it, I will never be able to comprehend. All I can say is, there are people who were just born sadists.
So, whatever you may want to believe, just be prepared for these vehicles to hit the roads. The govt isn’t putting up those charging outlets for people to charge their mobile phones. And they are not being put up for the aesthetics reasons either. They are gonna be put to good use. Also, Mr Khaw Boon Wan has ambitious plans for a futuristic transport system, and DTs are very much a part of it. As for jobs, we TDs will just have to look for alternatives. As F1 has rightfully said, the govt don't care. All that matters is dollars and cents, and making the majority people happy. I anticipate that within 10 years, most of the taxis will be DTs, as TCs will gradually .replace the scrappped ones and those hirers who return their cabs will no longer be given replacements
.
Originally posted by Jason65:..... I anticipate that within 10 years, most of the taxis will be DTs, as TCs will gradually .replace the scrappped ones and those hirers who return their cabs will no longer be given replacements
.
Wah your timeframe now stretched from 1 year to 10 years liao ar?
Driverless taxis good lah. I can anyhow cut in, jam brakes, don't give way to them when they signal, play monkey with them on the road and they cannot do anything about it. They have to guai guai obey the rules and be safe. Looking forward to screwing driverless taxis and cars on the road...and hopefully pax who take driverless taxis will take 1 hr to reach their destination for safety reasons whereas normal taxis take 5 mins only in equally safe condition.
Hello, 1 year to 10 years is the time of introduction to the time of complete takeover.
Of course you can do what you please. But you are forgetting the fact that we are living in a high tech world. The DTs will be equipped with cameras. After the pax lodges a complaint with the TC, they will check the footage during the time the offence was committed. This will be sent to TP, who will in turn send you some lucky 4D numbers.
Originally posted by Jason65:Hello, 1 year to 10 years is the time of introduction to the time of complete takeover.
Of course you can do what you please. But you are forgetting the fact that we are living in a high tech world. The DTs will be equipped with cameras. After the pax lodges a complaint with the TC, they will check the footage during the time the offence was committed. This will be sent to TP, who will in turn send you some lucky 4D numbers.
"By next year there will be a whole fleet of driverless taxis (DTs) hitting the roads. These taxis will cost less to operate while reaping higher profits.. "
This one you say one. Whole fleet of DTs leh.. Even if got one driverless taxi on pilot trial on public roads (I mean real roads, not those University driveways), it won't be next year.
What complaint? Driverless taxi want to filter to change lane, I drive alongside it at same speed, what can it do? What traffic offence have I committed? Road works along Braddell road, DT need to filter left, but nobody will give way. Is it an offence?
I see the DT signal and try to cut into my lane, I speed up to cut the DT off. Won't have accident one cos I know the DT got a host of sensors and safety features to avoid me. Offence meh? Some more, no one to show me middle finger.
Driverless taxi always got pax one meh? Won't be empty sometimes? Pax will help DT look out for traffic meh? Aiyah..they will be busy on their mobile phone playing games or texting lah..
You get my point? If ALL vehicles are driverless, yes, the system will work. But if only some vehicles on the roads are driverless and many others are not driverless, then the driverless vehicles will kena bullied and abused by those high ego drivers on the road who most likely will get away with it. If can makan, will makan them one. This actually makes it more unsafe.
With so many safety features to check here, check there, stop here, slow down here, good luck to getting to your destination on time, if you ever get to your destination.
Originally posted by Jason65:Hello, 1 year to 10 years is the time of introduction to the time of complete takeover.
Of course you can do what you please. But you are forgetting the fact that we are living in a high tech world. The DTs will be equipped with cameras. After the pax lodges a complaint with the TC, they will check the footage during the time the offence was committed. This will be sent to TP, who will in turn send you some lucky 4D numbers.
Cars do not have to be so high tech....the more high tech it is, the more viruses and hard to detect problems there would be ( remember our MRT kept failing ).
Talking about viruses, good thing that the Singapore government made security and safety no 1 priority and made civil servants unable to surf the net from government computers.
Originally posted by Jason65:I agree with F1. The government will please the majority, and the majority of the people will welcome Driverless Taxis (DTs). Let me give some reasons.
Some reasons why DTs will have mass appeal
Many people will embrace DTs for various reasons. The first will be LTA. DTs will be able to achieve the TA standards they came up with. Perhaps it is precisely for this reason the TA standards were introduced. There will be no more cases of TDs being found dead in their cabs.
DTs do not have to change shift. They do not need lunch breaks, toilet breaks, “bak bak” breaks etc. So achieving the TA standards will be a breeze.
TCs will also welcome DTs.
Firstly they will no longer have to pay fines for not achieving TA standards as, with the introduction of DTs, that will be history. Also, they will save maintenance costs as there will be fewer accidents and less replacement for wear and tear. Let me elaborate.
DTs will not travel at 116 km/h along airport boulevard just to get ahead of the taxi queue. As a result, there will be less accidents along airport boulevard, and of course on other roads as well, as they are programmed to drive defensively. They wiil not accelerate like F1 cars and then suddenly stepping on the brakes to stop abruptly. This will cause less wear and tear on brakes, tyres and other moving parts, which means less downtime, less parts replacements and higher overall profits. DTs will not bang tables or throw keys, thus making the working environment of their staff less stressful. DTs will not complain if servicing takes too long.
The public will also welcome DTs.
First and foremost, it is because of cheaper fares. Certain surcharges may be done away with, and DTs will not cpcb about it. They will not have to fear being scolded by the DT just because they are travelling from airport to Pasir Ris, or have to make multiple stops. DTs will not insist on cash payment only. In fact, I believe all payments will be cashless. This also makes them less prone to robbery and kidnapping. DTs will not discriminate against Indians. They will accept any passenger, regardless of race, language or religion.
The uncles who work at the petrol kiosks will also welcome DTs. It is because DTs will not urinate all over the floor or on the toilet seats, thus inconveniencing other users as well as making them have to clean the toilets more frequently. A couple of days ago, believe it or not, I witnessed something I could not believe. This taxi driver went into the toilet, saw the toilet seat up, brought it down and then urinated. Whatever the logic of it, I will never be able to comprehend. All I can say is, there are people who were just born sadists.
So, whatever you may want to believe, just be prepared for these vehicles to hit the roads. The govt isn’t putting up those charging outlets for people to charge their mobile phones. And they are not being put up for the aesthetics reasons either. They are gonna be put to good use. Also, Mr Khaw Boon Wan has ambitious plans for a futuristic transport system, and DTs are very much a part of it. As for jobs, we TDs will just have to look for alternatives. As F1 has rightfully said, the govt don't care. All that matters is dollars and cents, and making the majority people happy. I anticipate that within 10 years, most of the taxis will be DTs, as TCs will gradually .replace the scrappped ones and those hirers who return their cabs will no longer be given replacements
.
Fortunately right now only 2 of you are on driverless taxis side ( together with foreigners from car manufacturing countries ). Remember even the USA is reluctant to let it hit their streets so fast imposing a speed limit of 50 km/h on Google driverless cars (the on PM sat in ).
Do you guys want to put Singaporeans lives at risk or do you guys think it is better for the car manufacturing countries to perfect their technologies in their own countries before we consider whether to let them hit our main roads? In short, do we want to be the guinea pigs or should we let car manufacturing countries people be the ones testing their inventions on their streets?
Originally posted by bowah:tia kong Uber is investing heavily on driverless, therefore I see driveless will in future, which most of us are old and maybe at Buangkok green playing chess, there will be no driver, not only taxi drivers, even grab, normal delivery, bus, casket and uber drivers will be gone, so are oil companies, traffic wardens, etc etc, all these jobs will be gone.
These ang mo and jap are pushing hard on driverless, why??? Because it is their only way of dominating the economy of the world again, they need to create inorder to destroy aka creative destruction.
So do we want them to do so at our expense by eliminating Singaporean workers? Next time no manufacturing and no taxi driving do what? Ports also suffering and Singapore government had to sell off NOL So next time less Singaporeans got jobs so retail shops, supermarkets, hawker centers and coffeeshops also suffer.
What happens if sales not good and they intentionally plant viruses and force us to pay high maintainance cost or buy third party anti-virus solutions? Even the entire Singapore government is forbiding web surfing knowing we are unable to fight viruses.
People in the electronics sectors know that even some established MNCs plant time-bombs in LCD TVs that would be activated after warranty periods.
We know Koreans have caught up with Japs and Ang Mos as the taxi industry is dominated with Korean cars.