MooVita Autonomous Bus Trial at Ngee Ann Polytechnic

On 9 January 2023, autonomous vehicle start-up MooVita launched an autonomous first/last mile shuttle service at Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

The service operates in loops around the campus. It is currently offered for free, and operates on weekdays in the mornings and at lunchtime.

Background

Moovita (also stylised MooVita) is a Singapore-based autonomous vehicle start-up developing smart mobility solutions for urban environments. They have been in operation since 2016, and have produced vehicle-agnostic driverless software capabilities for applications such as first and last-mile transportation, logistics transportation, and utility solutions.

The autonomous shuttle trial is conducted in collaboration with Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) and operates around the school campus, with ten stops en-route stops.

Service Pattern

The autonomous shuttle provided by MooVita is available only on weekdays and does not operate on public holidays.

In the morning, there are three trips from King Albert Park MRT Station to the Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) campus. During lunchtime, the same route is operated within the NP campus with six trips.

MooVita’s autonomous bus is called the MooBus, based on the King Long XMQ6650GEV electric minibus platform with two passenger doors and fourteen seats. It is registered under the Research & Development plate RD3193Y. The bus features a black-themed livery with polka-dot patterns, and externally-mounted sensors and cameras form part of the autonomous sensor suite.

The bus is manned by a safety driver who is trained to take over immediate control of the vehicle should the need arise, and to operate the bus manually during adverse driving conditions.

Apart from the driver, the MooBus is accompanied by a member of staff whilst on shuttle runs, thus restricting the bus capacity to 13 seated passengers only. All passengers must remain seated and keep their seatbelts securely fastened during the journey.

As part of the collaboration with Ngee Ann Polytechnic, its students have also developed an information display panel that shows MooBus passenger count and bus stop information. This development helps to improve the user experience in the vehicle.

Service Information

The autonomous shuttle plies two different routes in the mornings and at lunchtime. Detailed timings are included in the poster.

	NP Shuttle Service by MooVita
	Morning Service	Lunchtime Service
Route	King Albert Park MRT ↺ Ngee Ann Polytechnic	Ngee Ann Polytechnic internal loop
Operating Hours	Weekdays, except Public Holidays 0730hrs, 0815hrs, 0900hrs from King Albert Park	Weekdays, except Public Holidays 1130hrs – 1420hrs, refer to the poster for detailed timings
Frequency	45 mins	30 mins
Fare	Free rides
Capacity	13 Seated Passengers only (No Standing Allowed) For safety reasons, pregnant, wheelchair-bound passengers or those with existing medical conditions should not ride the autonomous shuttle service