Autonomous taxis publicly available in Singapore via nuTonomy and Grab
NuTonomy and Grab have teamed up to offer free rides in self-driving taxis to the general public in Singapore. While the initial 2.5 square-mile area covered by nuTonomy's cars in the initial invitation-only trial has been doubled, it still does not include highways. Grab passengers will be able to select the ‘robo-car’ option on Grab’s app, as long as they are over 18, book in advance and sign a liability waiver. Rides will be free for at least two months and are currently limited to modified Renault and Mitsubishi EVs that have a safety “driver” in the front and a researcher in the back who oversees the vehicle’s software. NuTonomy also announced $16m in funding to continue its goal of offering fully self-driving taxis within two years.

It's been nearly impossible catching a ride with Nutonomy's self-driving car in Singapore, but chances just got raised a little because the driving tech startup has opened seats to users of ride-hailing app, Grab.

Nutonomy is an MIT spin-out that has been running limited closed trials of its self-driving car in a small business park in Singapore.

On Friday it announced it would start allowing a handful of Grab users to see the option to book the self-driving car.

Users who have the option will need to select a timeslot in advance for the car service.

Grab's interface Credit: victoria ho/mashable

Mashable understands that just two of the previously-reported six cars Nutonomy planned for trials are in operation.

The other four are awaiting authorisation and further approval before they become road-worthy.

Sensors on the car's rear bumper. Credit: victoria ho/mashable

With the tie-up, Grab can now boast having self-driving cars (sort of), quickly following U.S. rivals Uber and Lyft which have plunged in the autonomous game.

Uber is working with auto makers such as Ford and Volvo, and has been running a pilot trial on the roads in Pittsburgh for the past three months.

Another ride-hailing player in the U.S., Lyft has a partnership with General Motors, and its fleet of Chevrolet Bolt electric taxis is expected to come out in 2017(opens in a new tab).

Like the Uber autonomous rides you can catch in Pittsburgh, the Singapore ride will come with a safety driver behind the wheel and a support engineer onboard.

Only one passenger is allowed to ride per booking, and rides will travel within the business park.

One of the safety drivers with Nutonomy. Credit: victoria ho/mashable

In June, a driver in a Tesla died while its semi-autonomous Autopilot system was engaged.

Investigations showed that neither Autopilot nor the driver saw the tractor trailer that crossed in front of the car, colliding with the Tesla.