Singapore’s 2019 IoT Plans: Autonomous Vehicles, Smart Lamp Posts, Faster Internet

The Internet of Things (IoT) is big on the Singapore government’s road-map for 2019.

In an article posted in the Singapore government website, GovTech, entitled “10 tech developments to look forward to in 2019,” it said autonomous vehicles — cars, buses and flying taxis — would become more commonplace in the city state in the coming year.

“Both the National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore will see driverless shuttle buses navigating their campuses in 2019,” the article noted.

“Meanwhile, German company Volocopter will be conducting test flights of their electric air taxis, which seat two passengers each and can fly autonomously or via remote control. Testbed air spaces have yet to be determined, but remember to keep your eyes on the skies!” it added.

Based in Stuttgart, the company is said to be building the world’s first manned fully electric and safe air taxis and to date has raised a total of €31.2 million (US$35.5 million) in funding over 3 rounds.

Its first autonomous air taxi, a world first, has its world premiere in Dubai City in 2017.

GovTech Singapore also mentioned that a smart lamp post may be installed in the country within the year, following the awarding of a S$7.5-million contract to ST Engineering “to give lamp posts in Geylang and Buona Vista an upgrade with Internet of Things sensors and cameras.”

Founded in 1997, ST Engineering is an integrated engineering group and one of Asia’s largest defense and engineering groups today.

The smart lamp posts, according to the article, are part of “the government’s efforts to create a Smart Nation Sensor Platform that allows real-time monitoring of not just road traffic conditions, but also pedestrian footfall and environmental parameters such as temperature and humidity.”

The data collected will help inform urban and transport planning, as well as enhance security in Singapore, the article added.

With three major telecommunications providers in Singapore are already laying the groundwork for 5G in Singapore, the GovTech article revealed that the country could expect to see more 5G developments in 2019.

When the government launched its Smart Nation vision in November 2014, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that it is imperative that the country  takes full advantage of technology extensively and systematically.

“Not just piecemeal, individual gadgets, individual programs and systems – that we are already doing, and all sorts of devices and applications have technology and IT in them,” he said.

“If you can automate the things which are routine we can focus our time and energy on the things that really matter to us,” he added. – Future IoT