Plans and agreements are already in the works
We’ve all toyed with the idea of flying vehicles. Our wishful thinking when stuck in traffic or simply lusting over that blue flying car in the second Harry Potter film.
Call it a miracle or one that’s a long time coming but Singapore’s transport network will be getting an upgrade with flying taxis.
The Ministry of Transport revealed prototyped images of human-carrying drones, showing that it has already taken the initial steps to make it happen. The drones are the Hoversurf Scorpion by a Russian startup and the Ehang 184 autonomous aerial vehicle from China. According to Business Times, the ministry is also engaging in talks with companies to commence trials on drones that can carry passengers.
These revelations were made at the Business Times Leaders’ Forum, where Singapore’s vision for urban mobility in 2030 was unveiled. Our future transportation network could even be a mix air and land. It is a move made possible due to the rise of artificial intelligence and available data.
The Only Hurdle
Singapore’s plans for an air transport is almost solid – but there is still the issue of land and manpower constraint.
The ministry however, promises that these constraints will further encourage a different transport landscape for our city by 2030. Perhaps buses will be one diminishing sight but trains will still continue to be the core of our public transport system. There will be more urban-mobility means, making it possible to ride a driverless pod to work and then take an aerial taxi home.
Changes May Come Sooner Than You Think
Singapore is pushing for a shift in the public mindset from one of transport ownership – which is the mindset today – to one where you procure transport services as and when you need them.
While the contours of aerial transport in Singapore’s network may still be hazy for now, a new form of service may take shape sooner. The ministry is looking at on-demand public bus services during off-peak hours. This means that buses will ply low-ridership routes that are dynamic and responsive to riders’ real-time demand during off-peak hours – so there’ll be no more empty spaces on buses. Driverless buses may also be a reality since agreements to build and put one on trail is already in the works.
For now, we’ll just watch and see what happens when Dubai flies the Ehang 184 as an aerial taxi this July.
