Tech startup nuTonomy, the brainchild of two MIT experts in intelligent vehicles and robotics, is conducting the first field trial of autonomous taxis on the streets of Singapore.

 Select Singapore residents are able to use nuTonomy’s ride-hailing smartphone app to book a no-cost ride in a nuTonomy self-driving car that employs the company’s sophisticated software, which has been integrated with high-performance sensing and computing components.

The rides are being provided in a Renault Zoe or Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric vehicle that nuTonomy has specially configured for autonomous driving. An engineer from nuTonomy rides in the vehicle to observe system performance and assume control if needed to ensure passenger comfort and safety.

Throughout the trial, nuTonomy will collect and evaluate valuable data related to software system performance, vehicle routing efficiency, the vehicle booking process, and the overall passenger experience. This data will enable nuTonomy to refine its software in preparation for the launch of a widely-available commercial robo-taxi service in Singapore in 2018.

In August, nuTonomy was selected by the Singapore Land Transport Authority (LTA) as an R&D partner, to support the development of a commercial AV service in Singapore. This trial represents the first, rapid result of this partnership. nuTonomy is the first, and to date only, private enterprise approved by the Singapore government to test AVs on public roads.

CEO and co-founder of nuTonomy, Karl Iagnemma, said, “nuTonomy’s first-in-the-world public trial is a direct reflection of the level of maturity that we have achieved with our AV software system. The trial represents an extraordinary opportunity to collect feedback from riders in a real-world setting, and this feedback will give nuTonomy a unique advantage as we work toward deployment of a self-driving vehicle fleet in 2018.”

In May, nuTonomy completed a $16M Series A funding led by Highland Capital Partners that included participation from Fontinalis Partners, Signal Ventures, Samsung Ventures and EDBI, the dedicated corporate investment arm of the Singapore Economic Development Board.

In addition to Singapore, nuTonomy is 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.

Only three years old, nuTonomy has upstaged companies such as Google, Uber, Ford and General Motors, which are all developing autonomous vehicle technology with plans to launch in less than five years.

The company recently announced a partnership with Grab, Southeast Asia’s leading ride-hailing app, to expand the ongoing public trial of self-driving cars in Singapore. The trial will give select Grab users a chance to experience the full end-to-end experience of e-hailing and riding in a nuTonomy self-driving vehicle (SDV).

Select Grab customers can use the Grab app to book a ride in a nuTonomy SDV through a special “robo-car” fleet icon. All rides are free-of-charge and customers may travel within the one-north business district as well as to adjacent neighborhoods. If a trip requires travel on roads outside of one-north, the safety driver will take control of the vehicle for that portion of the trip. The public trial will run for the next two months, and may be extended by the companies for as long as it continues to yield valuable feedback and data.

“Partnering with Grab to expand our public trial in Singapore will yield valuable feedback and consumer insights as nuTonomy readies our on-demand self-driving car service for commercial launch in 2018,” said Iagnemma.

Anthony Tan, CEO and co-founder of Grab, said, “Grab and nuTonomy share a similar vision of advancing Singapore’s world-class public transport network by offering the widest range of mobility services to commuters. This landmark tech partnership is a step towards supplementing Singapore’s transport network with an innovative driverless commuting option for underserved areas of Singapore – all accessible through the Grab app. We look forward to collaborating with nuTonomy to research this future mobility solution as part of our growing platform of mobility offerings.”

"Singapore’s vision is to become a leading location in Asia for the innovation and commercialization of future mobility technologies and services. We welcome the partnership between nuTonomy and Grab, which will contribute to the development and deployment of self-driving technologies here. It is also a great testament to the vibrancy of the urban mobility ecosystem in Singapore," said Yeoh Keat Chuan, managing director, Singapore Economic Development Board.