Induct Technology, a small technology company, has beaten the top shots of auto industry like Mercedes-Benz, Audi, BMW, Ford, GM and Hyundai in the race to be first to put a driverless car on sale.
The company has made an all-electric, self-driving shuttle called Navia. Unlike Google’s push button car, Navia can hold up to 8 passengers and has been designed to be used more in pedestrian-heavy areas, such as shopping malls, business parks, large industrial sites, airport parking lots, theme parks, university campuses or hospital complexes. However, Singapore is testing out the Navia on public roads.
More about Navia:
Navia provides an on-demand, eco-friendly mode of transportation. As users get on board the shuttle, they find a touchscreen presenting various stops the shuttle will drive them to. Users can select their destination on the screen and the shuttle automatically sets off for it.
Navia has laser-based lidar (light detection and ranging) sensors and stereoscopic optical cameras, which allows it to avoid obstacles in its path and stay in its lane.
Navia’s propulsion system uses Lithium-Polymer batteries and a 15” instant wireless recharging system. This all-electric driverless shuttle touts a top speed of 12.5 mph and doesn’t require any rails, overhead lines, or other changes to the roads.
Here’s a video from Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University, showing all the basics of the little Navia shuttle:
