nuTonomy

Software firm nuTonomy has launched a fleet of self-driving taxis in Singapore.

(Courtesy image/nuTonomy)

DETROIT - The race to put self-driving cars into public use has been through plenty of twists and turns this year, but it shows no signs of slowing. In fact, it seems to have only gotten more fierce recently.



The latest company to take the lead is nuTonomy, a software firm that launched self-driving taxis in Singapore Thursday.

The autonomous taxi service starts with six cars and a select number of residents in Singapore's tech-heavy "one-north" district.

While the taxis will be limited to the 2.5-square-mile district, nuTonomy aims to eventually expand the model to cities around the world. The company also said data collected in the initial service will help it refine its software in preparation for a widely-available commercial "robo-taxi service" in Singapore in 2018.

NuTonomy's fleet is currently comprised of Renault Zoe and Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric cars.

The tech firm, which has offices in Massachusetts and Singapore, said it is also operating self-driving cars in Michigan and the United Kingdom, "where it tests software in partnership with major automotive manufacturers such as Jaguar Land Rover."

The company is only the latest automaker or tech firm to tout its self-driving car developments, the announcements of which seem to be accelerating even in the past few weeks.

Last week, Uber said it is partnering with Volvo Cars to put a fleet of self-driving, plug-in hybrid SUVs into service on the roads of Pittsburgh "in the next few weeks." The SUVs will be autonomous, but will still have someone in the driver's seat, at least initially. Uber will also be using Ford Fusions.

And Ford Motor Co. also said last week it plans to develop a fleet of self-driving cars to be on the roads by 2021. The vehicles will not be sold to the public, and will come without an accelerator or steering wheel, the Dearborn automaker said.

Ford also announced it is investing $75 million in Velodyne, which manufactures sensors critical to the technology of self-driving cars, and is doubling its staff in Silicon Valley.

Back in Singapore, Delphi said earlier this month it is providing a fleet of fully autonomous vehicles to the one-north district, where they will be used for closed testing. The Singapore Land Transit Authority pilot program will last for three years with the goal of opening up to the public in 2022. Delphi said it has plans for similar pilot projects planned in North America and Europe.

And on Tuesday Delphi announced it's partnering with Mobileye to develop a "Level 4/5" automated driving solution. Level 4/5 autonomy is defined by federal regulators as autonomous driving with full vehicle responsibility, meaning occupants do not need the ability to drive. The two suppliers plan to demonstrate the platform at the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and have it ready for production for 2019.

Meanwhile, General Motors is developing self-driving Chevrolet Bolt EVs in San Francisco and Scottsdale, Ariz. as part of a collaboration with Cruise Automation, a Silicon Valley tech firm it acquired last spring. The Detroit automaker also invested $500 million in Lyft, as self-driving technology continues to mesh with ride-sharing.

In May, Tech giant Alphabet and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles announced a partnership that will test Google's self-driving car program in 2017 Chrysler Pacifica hybrid minivans.

John Krafcik, who heads Google's autonomous vehicle program, said a new, 53,000-square-foot development center in Novi will first be tasked with equipping the self-driving Chrysler Pacifica hybrid minivans it's getting as part of the partnership.

Several automakers already offer semi-autonomous features on their cars, such as emergency braking and adaptive cruise control.

In the U.S., federal probes have been launched in the wake of a well-publicized, fatal car crash involving a Tesla Model S in "Autopilot" mode.

Like other adaptive cruise systems, Tesla's Autopilot is a semi-autonomous driving feature that uses sensors, radar and cameras to steer, speed up and slow down a vehicle based on traffic and road conditions.

Despite its name, Tesla has warned that the feature is still in beta and not a computer replacement for human driving, urging drivers to keep their hands on the steering wheel.

Consumer Reports has called Tesla's Autopilot "too much autonomy too soon."

Separately, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it plans to release guidelines for autonomous vehicles this summer. It follows a $3.9 billion investment from Pres. Barack Obama's proposed, 2017 full-year budget for the adoption and acceleration of automated vehicle technology.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx in January said the technology could save tens of thousands of lives.