nuTonomy, a leading developer of state-of-the art software systems for self-driving cars, announced it has entered into a new partnership with Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA) to begin trials of an autonomous mobility-on-demand transportation service. The partnership will expand and accelerate the company’s development efforts in Singapore as it progresses towards the launch of a commercial autonomous vehicle (AV) service in 2018.
nuTonomy is the first, and to date, only private enterprise approved by the Singapore Government for the testing of AVs on public roads. The company has been conducting AV tests on a daily basis since April this year in Singapore’s one-north business district.
Under the partnership with LTA, nuTonomy will conduct a programme of enhanced trials that will simulate the experience of an autonomous mobility-on-demand service by allowing select users to request, interact with, and ride in a nuTonomy AV.
The multi-faceted R&D partnership between LTA and nuTonomy will allow nuTonomy to advance its trial programme, expand its AV fleet, enhance its data collection initiatives, and improve all aspects of the user experience as it prepares to launch a commercial AV service for Singapore residents.
At the same time, the partnership will provide LTA with information about the best practices necessary for implementing AV-enabled mobility services in Singapore. This partnership with LTA is part of the Singapore Autonomous Vehicle Initiative (SAVI), which oversees and manages AV research, test-bedding, and the development of applications and solutions for Singapore residents by industry partners and stakeholders.
The company plans to add more than 100 jobs in Singapore as it lays the groundwork for launching its commercial AV service. nuTonomy recently completed a $16 million Series A funding that included investment from EDBI, the dedicated corporate investment arm of the Singapore Economic Development Board.
In addition to Singapore, nuTonomy is operating self-driving cars in Michigan, USA and the United Kingdom, where it tests software in partnership with major automotive industry players such as Jaguar Land Rover. 
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