​​Speech by NTU President​ Professor Subra Suresh at the MoU signing with SMRT and 2getthere to test autonomous vehicles on NTU's Smart Campus

Speech by

Professor Subra Suresh

President, Nanyang Technological University 

Reality Theatre, Level 2, Research Techno Plaza

50 Nanyang Drive 

Mr Desmond Kuek, President and Group CEO, SMRT Corporation Ltd,

Mr Sjoerd van der Zwaan, Chief Technology Officer, 2Getthere,

Mr Mr Yeo Teck Guan, Group Director, Public Transport, Land Transport Authority

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Good afternoon.

Public transportation has evolved over the years with a lot of disruption, especially in the way which commuters use them. With the advent of crowdsourcing – various technologies associated with them – and fields such as artificial intelligence or AI, and improved smartphone applications, the power shifted from a top-down model to a bottom-up one, where commuters themselves are now service providers. Apps that we all now have on our mobile devices drive ride-hailing services and they now are the ‘new normal’, challenging conventional forms of public transportation such as buses and taxis. 

Besides ride-sharing services, rentable bicycles, electric scooters and other forms of bikes, and even electric cars have become a common sight. These options allow commuters to travel more conveniently without relying on personal vehicles. This also removes two main gaps in their daily commute, in what is known as the “first-mile” connectivity issue and the “last-mile” connectivity issue. Bus and rail services often form the core of a trip, but commuters must complete the first and last portion on their own. They do this by walking, cycling, or sometimes, driving to and from their homes or offices, to the nearest available public transport. So when it comes to transportation we to do everything possible to make the first mile and last mile easy. But when we want to talk about a healthy campus, we actually want people to walk the first mile and last mile. There is always a tension between different approaches and initiatives.

Let’s talk about mobility as a service. With so many transport options available right now, the way forward is to create a platform that integrates them and uses the power of artificial intelligence to optimise daily commuting. In anticipation of this, NTU partnered SMRT and JTC to launch the Mobility-as-a-Service testbed last year. The testbed focuses on seamlessly integrating trains and bus networks with new personal mobility solutions. Leveraging on the key strengths of each partner, it uses NTU’s beautiful campus, which is already ‘living testbed’, to develop innovative and advanced solutions no just for members of NTU’s community, but equally for Singaporeans at large.

In fact, test-bedding rapidly advancing technologies is a key component in NTU’s vision in becoming a Smart Campus, where we harness the power of digital technology and tech-enabled solutions to support better learning and living experiences, the discovery of new knowledge, and the sustainability of resources. 

One of the key technologies that we are testing is the multi-modal transport application called Jalan-Jalan. Announced last month by SMRT’s seed-funded startup, mobilityX, the app plans the route of commuters’ journey using different combinations of transport options – from public transport, shuttle buses, shared bicycles and e-scooters, to private ride-hailing services and even autonomous vehicles. By seamlessly integrating multiples modes of transport, it resolves the first and last mile problem for commuters by generating a single and complete travelling plan, right to and from the doorstep of one’s home. In a nutshell, it is an all-in-one platform for users to plan their journey conveniently using the power of a mobile device and a mobile app.

NTU is already home to a variety of e-bikes, e-scooters and even autonomous buses. I’m delighted to know that students, faculty, and staff on our campus are among the first in Singapore to use this app. In fact, the app already went through a pilot run on campus since last August and received overwhelming support from the NTU community. It has kick-started close to 67,000 trips around campus, clocking over 80,000 kilometres worth of mileage. So since Singapore is just one degree north of the equator, that is equivalent to going around the circumference of the earth twice. That is a lot of travel just from the NTU community so far.

Today, NTU will be embarking on another milestone in our research in autonomous vehicles. We are partnering with SMRT and 2getthere, to test and develop their Group Rapid Transport system or GRT autonomous minibus, which has started pilot tests on NTU’s campus since last year. Like other autonomous vehicles at NTU, it is a perfect example of a seamless first-and-last-mile connectivity solution as it acts as a “horizontal lift”, providing an on-demand transport option for users. The GRT uses magnetic pellets on the road for autonomous navigation and it can travel in both directions using the same pellets.

Today’s MOU signing between NTU, SMRT and 2Get-There Asia signify the expansion of the GRT trial to include more locations on campus. NTU will also integrate its autonomous vehicle technologies and capabilities with the GRT. As part of the trials, NTU students, staff and faculty will also be able to hop on the vehicle to get a glimpse of the future of commuting. 

This is yet another NTU Smart Campus initiative that demonstrates how tech-enabled solutions can improve everyday life and support better learning in a sustainable manner.

NTU is no stranger to test-bedding and R&D, and the entire campus is a hotbed for research innovations with multiple ongoing projects being tested. We began testing autonomous vehicle technologies on campus in 2012, and our Navya Arma electric and autonomous mini-bus has been running trials since 2016. 

We are also pioneering new transportation technologies. In January this year right here in this building, we partnered with BlueSG to launch Singapore’s first ultra-fast charging electric shuttle service. To be tested around NTU around the second-half of this year, the shuttle aims to be as efficient as tram systems as it comes with fast-charging and emission-free continuous operation. NTU is also collaborating with Volvo to develop one of the first fully-electric and autonomous 40-seater bus. 

Public transportation plays a critical role in Singapore’s economic growth and helps to improve the overall quality of life. We are proud to have a hand in shaping the future of Singapore’s public transportation through innovation, research excellence and most importantly, our strong connections with industry and government agencies. Just a couple of months ago, we also launched the NTU Institute of Science and Technology for Humanity. This is yet another example of how technological solutions can have an impact on society and when we say humanity, we mean the individual and the groups of individual, which is collectively known as society.

I want to thank you all for coming and we very much look forward to this partnership.

Thank you.