Prototype Self-Driving Taxi Tested in Singapore

Cambridge, Mass.-based startup nuTonomy Inc. has begun public test rides of self-driving taxis in Singapore with a goal of launching commercial service within two years.

The so-called “robo-taxis” are modified versions of the Mitsubishi i-MiEV and Renault Zoe electric vehicles equipped with nuTonomy’s control software and sensors. In the initial test rides, a nuTonomy engineer rides in the driver’s seat to monitor the vehicle and assume control if needed.

A pre-selected group of riders can hail the vehicles via a smartphone app. After the ride, they will provide feedback on the vehicle's performance and the overall service.

NuTonomy, which is partnering with the government of Singapore on the project, has been conducting its own tests in the city-state since April. The company aims to have a fleet of 100 driverless taxis on the road there by 2018. The company also is testing its technology in Michigan.

The three-year-old startup raised $16 million in May. This followed funding in January that included support from Fontinalis Partners, a Detroit-based venture capital firm co-founded by Ford Motor Co. Chairman Bill Ford Jr.