Clark Global City — Driverless vehicles will shuttle athletes, coaches, delegates and VIPs from point-to-point destinations within the New Clark City as the official mode of transportation during the 2019 Southeast Asian Games which the country hosts on Nov. 30 to Dec. 10.
"The vehicles run independent from any human intervention. That's a thing of innovation. These vehicles are fit for our vision to make NCC the first smart and green city (in the country). This showcases what is possible today in terms of technology," said Bases Conversion and Development Corporation President and CEO Vince Dizon.
Hizon said three driverless, shuttle P-1 mini-buses with a capacity of 14 passengers each will be criss-crossing inside NCC during the SEA games. The vehicles will run on electricity, with zero carbon emissions.
"We are very happy to work with COAST Autonomous Group, the developer of driverless buses," added Dizon. "In November and December, we will be hosting the SEA Games. We are very proud to be the first country in Asia to experience these driverless vehicles for everyone's use inside the NCC for free," said Dizon shortly before the signing of memorandum of agreement between the BCDA, Clark Development Corp. and COAST Autonomous at the BCDA Corporate Office situated at the 9th Floor of One West Aeropark Building here.
Engr. Pierre Lefevre, Chief Technology Officer of COAST Autonomous Group, said deployment of driverless vehicles at the NCC would serve as a pilot testing before the firm embarks on mass production targeting cities and huge universities in Asia and Europe.
"Mass production will start next year. The vehicles have safety and security features and they are very safe to use," said Lefevre during the press conference.
The vehicles, Lefevre said, will stop when an obstruction on the road appears, particularly humans.
"Included in the safety features program is to make sudden stop each time a human cross in front." It has a maximum speed of 60 kilometers per hour and runs at low speed.
COAST, which means Connected Autonomous Shared Transportation, conducted mapping works inside the NCC in order for the routes to be programmed within the computer chips of the vehicles.
Under the agreement, COAST Autonomous will provide and use high-definition 3D mapping machines to determine the routes of each vehicle for it to operate on its own and transport passengers to their destinations.
Clark will serve as the main hub of the SEA Games.