No cap on autonomous vehicles given growing transport needs: Jeffrey Siow
There is no immediate impact on drivers’ jobs given the small number of AVs now, the minister adds
Singapore's Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow has stated that there will be no cap on the number of autonomous vehicles (AVs) in the country, as the need for transport continues to grow. Siow, who is also the second minister for finance, noted that the number of AVs is currently a very small percentage of the total active taxi and private-hire car drivers.
He emphasized that while it is impossible to predict the exact number of AVs in Singapore in five years, the majority of point-to-point transport is expected to be provided by human drivers. Siow highlighted that Singapore faces challenges such as an aging workforce and more taxi drivers retiring in the coming years. To support drivers concerned about job displacement, the government is rolling out support and job transition packages, including 350 placements across two career conversion programs: one for Autonomous Vehicle Specialists and another for Public Transport Professionals transitioning to bus captain roles.
The government is prepared to expand these programs if demand exceeds expectations. By the end of 2028, Singapore may see several hundred autonomous passenger vehicles, compared to the current fleet of 72,000 taxis and private-hire cars.
Written by urgent.news from The Business Times - Singapore's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
