Driving future mobility

At the MOU signing were (from left): Prof Ho; Prof Chua Kee Chaing, Dean of NUS Engineering; Mr Ng; Mr Lew Yii Der, LTA Group Director for Corporate Planning and Development and Mr Chew (Photo: Land Transport Authority)

NUS and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) have inked an agreement to collaborate on future mobility research through the setting up of the NUS-LTA Transport Research Centre.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two parties was signed on 18 November at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre during the inaugural LTA Future Mobility Symposium which showcased research projects in the areas of future mobility and self-driving vehicles. Guest-of-Honour Mr Ng Chee Meng, Acting Minister for Education (Schools) and Senior Minister of State for Transport, graced the event.

The virtual centre, led by Director Designate Professor Lee Der-Horng from NUS Engineering, will conduct research and trials on innovative policies, technological applications and sustainable practices focusing on areas such as green mobility, transport network optimisation, and geotechnical and structural engineering. It aims to develop intelligent solutions that harness the latest technology to create a well-connected and people-centric transport system.

"With this new NUS-LTA Transport Research Centre, we can look forward to working collaboratively on key areas, such as mobility behaviour and ‘green' transportation, as well as to formulate sustainable solutions to enhance Singapore's transportation system and improve commuting experience, said Prof Lee.

An advisory panel comprising 12 local and international academics and chaired by NUS Deputy President (Research and Technology) Professor Ho Teck Hua has been formed to chart the Centre's research directions and objectives.

In his keynote address, Professor Kishore Mahbubani, Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at NUS shared his dream of zero car ownership in Singapore by 2050 and the steps needed to achieve that dream. He suggested creating a new agency called the Public Transport Board which would integrate all forms of public transport into one ecosystem. This would reap benefits such as lesser land required for roads, fewer traffic accidents and congestion, and cleaner air.

Prof Mahbubani sharing his dream of zero car ownership in Singapore by 2050 (Photo: Land Transport Authority)

"If Singapore can provide a dream that improves the lives of billions of people, it would mean a lot to the world and it would mean a lot to Singapore…we will become the most admired city on planet Earth and I can assure you of one thing, when we become the most admired city on planet Earth, Singaporeans will feel happier because they feel that they're living in a city with greater meaning and purpose, he concluded.

The event also saw MOUs signed with Nanyang Technological University and Singapore Institute of Technology to set up similar centres in a bid to boost LTA's mobility research capabilities. "We look forward to having more faculty members working on transport issues to help push the boundaries of our research efforts to foster greater interest and enthusiasm over the co-creation of engineering solutions. In turn, we hope that this can encourage more students to take up engineering as a career, said Mr Chew Men Leong, LTA Chief Executive.

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