SINGAPORE: As Singapore drives towards a future with autonomous vehicles (AVs), the Ministry of Transport is starting to look at how road rules can be extended to self-driven vehicles in the future.

Mr Chris Leck, director of the Futures Division at the ministry said on Wednesday (Jun 6) that those working on AVs are “quite aware” of the need to address issues like who has right of way during a situation between a human driver and an autonomous system.

There is a standards development team within the ministry working on such a framework currently. They are also looking at things like data management – “as AVs gather a lot of data” such as video surveillance of its environment – as well as cybersecurity, Mr Leck shared during a panel session at the ongoing Innovfest Unbound event.

They are also looking at international standards, such as those which relate to functional safety for cars, and how these can be incorporated into the framework, he told Channel NewsAsia on the sidelines of the event. 

His comments came after another local official, Mr James Tan, shared about the experience of deploying autonomous wheelchairs at Changi Hospital – a collaboration between the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART), MIT and National University of Singapore.

Mr Tan, who is the principal engineer of Sensors & IoT at Government Technology Agency (GovTech), said during the same panel session that two autonomous wheelchairs were deployed at a taxi stand at the hospital to help ferry patients and the designated distance was 200m. 

While the distance was short, human traffic was heavy, he noted, adding that the algorithm had a rule that said the wheelchair must give way to humans. 

In the end, it took nine minutes to travel the 200m, which was not acceptable, the GovTech official said, raising that as an example of how traffic rules for AVs can be complex and need to be carefully thought through.

That said, Mr Leck shared that the “ultimate goal” is for these self-driving vehicles to be able to interact with and be part of mixed traffic situations, and they will not need dedicated lanes on the roads.

AV TRIALS

Singapore has been a strong proponent of autonomous vehicles for some time now, and it amended the Road Traffic Act last February in order to make AV trials a reality. 

With the changes, MOT is allowed to create new rules which can place time and space limits on the AV trials, set standards for the design of the AV equipment, and impose requirements to share data from the trials.

The regulatory framework can also exempt AVs, operators of AVs and those conducting or participating in trials of AVs from existing provisions of the Road Traffic Act, which make a human driver responsible for the safe use of a motor vehicle while on a public road.

Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan announced last November that Punggol, Tengah and the Jurong Innovation District will be the first areas in Singapore to have self-driving buses and shuttles plying the roads from 2022.

SINGAPORE: There are no shortage of 5-star venues in Singapore, but on Wednesday morning (Jun 6) the White House confirmed the historic meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will be held at Capella Hotel on Sentosa island.

In a recent tweet, Mr Trump said the meeting on Jun 12 will “hopefully be the start of something big”. 

Here are five things you might not know about the 5-star Capella, where the rooms are upwards of S$580 a night, and a three-bedroom manor can set you back S$11,000 a night.

1. It sits on Sentosa, which was known as Island After Death

Before it was named Sentosa, the island was known as Pulau Belakang Mati – Malay for “Island After Death”. There are different accounts of the origin of the name – some say it alludes to early piracy, while another story says the island was a “paradise” for “warrior spirits” whose bodies were laid to rest on nearby Pulau Brani, according to the National Library Board. 

A contest to rename the island was launched in November 1969. Sentosa, meaning “peace and tranquility” in Malay, was selected as the winning entry. It came into effect in September 1970.

2. Two buildings on the property have conservation status 

Capella Singapore is made up of both modern and colonial buildings. Among them are Tanah Merah I and Tanah Merah II, bungalows built in the 1880s to accommodate the British Officers of the Royal Artillery, Coastal Defence Command based on Sentosa Island. Known as the Officers’ Mess, it was where the officers and their families ate and relaxed by dancing and playing tennis. 

They were given conservation status on Aug 7, 2000.

The hotel receives its guests at both bungalows, which have been restored. 

3. Its Grand Ballroom is the only circular ballroom in Singapore 

The hotel’s Grand Ballroom, which is the only circular ballroom in Singapore, spans 800 square metres and can accommodate about 400 seated guests. It also has a skylight dome which can let daylight into the venue or provide guests with a view of the night sky. 

4. Peacocks roam around the hotel’s grounds 

Peacocks roam around the hotel’s grounds and are a frequent feature on guests’ social media feeds. They often appear by the pool, as well as The Knolls, the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant. 

5. It has hosted A-listers such as Madonna and Lady Gaga

The luxury hotel – designed by British architect Norman Foster – has played host to stars such as queen of pop Madonna, and Lady Gaga when they stopped over in Singapore on tour. 

The hotel is just a five-minute walk from Palawan beach and a 15-minute walk from Universal Studios Singapore. It also offers priority bookings for the Sentosa Golf Club – a possible deal-clincher for the avid golfer, Mr Trump.

SINGAPORE: Members of the public can expect heightened security measures, including screenings of people and vehicles, at the Trump-Kim summit venues and areas around them, the Singapore police said.

“The summit between the United States and North Korea is of great international significance. Police and security agencies in Singapore are committed to ensuring security,” director of operations Senior Assistant Commissioner (SAC) How Kwang Hwee told reporters on Wednesday (Jun 6).

“The police, Home Team agencies, Singapore Armed Forces and auxiliary police forces will be deployed during the summit. We have been working closely with the security advanced teams of both countries to develop and put in place plans for the summit,” he said.

SAC How said the summit has been declared as an Enhanced Special Security Event from Jun 10 to 14 by the Minister of Home Affairs under the Public Order Act. 

During this period, the public can expect heightened security measures at the summit venues and the areas around them, he said, adding that the police will conduct security checks and screenings on people, vehicles and vessels.

Other security measures include the prohibition of unmanned aerial vehicles such as drones within the Enhanced Security Special Event Areas, and restrictions on vessel movements.

The announcement comes on the back of a White House confirmation that the summit will be held at the Capella Hotel in Sentosa.

This followed weeks of speculation surrounding the venue of the summit, as police declared the areas around the Shangri-La and Capella hotels as special event areas.

Other than the summit venues, the police will also step up patrols in areas of high human traffic, SAC How said.

“We seek the support and cooperation of the public because these security measures are necessary to ensure the security of the summit and Singapore. 

“Members of the public can play an important role and partner the police by being vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the police immediately.”

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SINGAPORE: It’s pink on pink – naturally – at the My Melody cafe, opening on Jun 7 at Suntec City Mall.

This is the first cafe in Singapore themed after beloved Sanrio character My Melody, the girly white rabbit in the red or pink hood who hails from fictional, sylvan Maryland.

The decor takes the theme “Strawberry Paradise”, and you’ll find strawberries in the dishes, on the branding and even hanging from the ceiling.

If you’re a fan, you’ll have to order the Princess Bunny (S$18.90), a Japanese curry rice and crispy chicken karaage dish featuring My Melody’s face shaped out of rice. The pink rice of her hood is coloured with beetroot, her eyes are two black olives, and the ribbon on her head is fashioned from ham.

Other mains include the Hola Taco (S$25), made with Bulgogi beef; and Little Pink Riding Hood (S$23.90), featuring smoked salmon, ham and poached eggs with pink Hollandaise. Yes, the Hollandaise is pink.

The dishes were designed by bento artist Shirley Wong of food blog Little Miss Bento.

For dessert, there’s the Treasures Of Maryland (S$19.50), a tall, toasted brioche filled with vanilla soft serve, topped with and strawberry sticks and served with character macarons; or the Play Time Fondue (S$22.50) where you can dip strawberries, vanilla sponge cake, butter cookies and pink, heart-shaped marshmallows into a bowl of pink chocolate.

Told you there was a lot of pink.

My Melody Cafe Singapore is at 3 Temasek Boulevard, Suntec City Mall #01-361. It will be open Mondays to Sundays from 10am to 10pm.

SINGAPORE: The launch of the Ministry of Communication and Information’s Digital Readiness Blueprint is both timely and welcome as Singapore makes definitive steps towards realising its vision to be a smart nation.

Another laudable aspect of the blueprint is its focus on inclusivity, to help ensure that no pocket of the population is left behind in our push towards digitalisation.

The blueprint covers various key dimensions including equipping everyone with a set of basic digital skills for performing everyday activities, and sharpening the focus on information and media literacy to develop resilience in the face of proliferating online disinformation. 

It also factors in the crucial design dimension that seeks to leverage user-friendly and human-centric innovations that can help ramp up adoption of digital services.

WRONG SIDE OF DIGITAL SKILLS DIVIDE

The term “readiness” is itself a sound choice as it accommodates the fact that we will all venture into the digitalised world from different departure points.

Those who live and breathe technology will clearly need to be supported in rather more sophisticated ways than those whose foundational digital skills require concerted enhancement. 

Hence the blueprint’s recommendation to provide one-on-one concierge-type services for addressing Singaporeans’ day-to-day digital queries is also commendable.

Indeed, even as we congratulate ourselves for being one of the most connected countries in the world, we must nevertheless be cognisant of those among us who are on the wrong side of the digital skills divide.

In exploratory research I conducted in 2015 and 2016 on underprivileged youths from low-income families residing in rental flats, I noted some interesting characteristics of their internet use. 

Eschewing laptop and desktop computers in favour of smartphones, these young people’s internet use was largely confined to social media and communication apps such as WhatsApp, Snapchat and Instagram, as well as entertainment apps such as YouTube, Dubsmash and Musical.ly, with minimal exploration of the World Wide Web’s other rich offerings.

For all intents and purposes, even as statistical measures would classify these youths as internet users, their limited navigation and usage of the online space did not fully optimise the medium’s vast range of affordances.

For example, they may not be conscious of the avenues for curating an online presence that enables them to advertise their skills so that they can heighten their employability. Similarly, they may be less aware of opportunities to take online courses that could help them upgrade their skills. 

Despite being internet users therefore, their limited repertoire of internet skills thus constitute a form of what I would term an “invisible illiteracy” that is not captured by conventional data on internet and technology use.

‘WALLED GARDENS’

Furthermore, the app-centric and socially-oriented nature of their internet use meant that a great deal of the information they consumed emerged from within “walled gardens” and was largely mediated by their peer groups.

Given the customisable nature of internet use today, where algorithms within apps simply serve up more of the content that you already express an interest in, there is a diminished likelihood of encountering information outside the realm of your interest.

Similarly, if one’s information is mediated largely by one’s peers, the chances of being exposed to perspectives that diverge from those within your social circles are also reduced.

Without consciousness of these aspects of the digital infosphere, the average media consumer may find his or her media diet becoming less varied over time. This can obviously impede the benefits one can effectively reap from the digitalised world, and undermine one’s ability to participate more fully in it.

DON’T LOSE SIGHT OF INVISIBLE ILLITERACIES

How then do we address these invisible illiteracies and what other forms of such illiteracies may we be losing sight of? For instance, are the seemingly digitally savvy among us lacking an appreciation of the psychological biases that compromise our ability to consume information more critically?

Hence, we need a firmer grasp of internet usage trends in Singapore and how internet skills vary across different segments of the population.

Importantly, what percentage of our internet users are mobile-first (using a range of devices to access the internet but preferring mobile devices) and what percentage are mobile-only (accessing the internet exclusively using the mobile phone or tablets)?

Do different means of accessing the internet translate into different kinds of digital competencies but also challenges and if so, to what extent?

What kinds of design priorities must be borne in mind when catering to mobile-only versus mobile-first users?

How do variations in technology use and exposure influence people’s abilities to adapt to increasingly digitalised learning spaces and workplaces?

TARGETED RESEARCH NEEDED

How do variations in technology use and exposure influence people’s abilities to adapt to increasingly digitalised learning spaces and workplaces?

Such research should also utilise a combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches so that nationally representative data is complemented by richly-contextualised and in-depth insights into Singaporean’s digital experiences in the key realms of their everyday lives.

With digital readiness as the goal, the blueprint to chart our directions, and robust research to illuminate the path, we can strive to boost digital competencies and to identify any invisible illiteracies that undermine Singaporeans’ abilities to participate fully in the country’s digitalised future.

Dr Lim Sun Sun is Professor of Communication & Technology and Head of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences at the Singapore University of Technology and Design.

SINGAPORE: Dry-aged beef and kimchi may seem an unlikely combination for a nasi lemak dish, but that hasn’t stopped a local eatery from introducing a new summit-themed option to its menu, as local food and beverage outlets build on the hype surrounding the upcoming meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

“It’s a very historical event, and we wanted to create a dish which shows the harmony between both,” Harmony Nasi Lemak spokesman Zach Wen told Channel NewsAsia. “I hope people don’t see it as a gimmick, but rather focus on the idea of behind it.” 

The Trump Kim-Chi dish, which took a month to conceptualize, comes complete with its own hashtag (#MakeHarmonyGreatAgain) and will set customers back S$21. It is available at the Harmony Nasi Lemak eatery, part of OSG Bar + Kitchen at Suntec City.

“To our limited knowledge, the US is protective of the beef trade. So we want to make Trump feel good because we are using American beef,” noted Mr Wen. “Food also has to be harmonised. Nasi lemak has achar (pickled vegetables), so we replaced the achar with kimchi – to create that balance.”

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Harmony is not alone in creating a summit-themed dish as interest in the summit intensifies. Mexican restaurant and bar Lucha Loco has also got in on the act, offering El Trumpo (Cheeseburger) and Rocket Man (Korean Fried Chicken) tacos.

“I don’t think a summit of this scale has ever been held in Singapore where you have two controversial leaders, so we wanted to just inject a bit of fun and lightheartedness,” said group marketing manager Leon Foong.

The tacos are available from Jun 4 to 16 and are priced at S$10 each. Each taco purchased qualifies customers for a Friday and Saturday night draw where they get the opportunity to smash custom-made Trump-Kim piñatas.

“We’ve always liked to poke fun – we’re very much a fun restaurant. For us, it’s about producing satire, being tongue-in-cheek,” added Mr Foong. “This is a bit of a poke but it’s all in the nature of having a good laugh.”

At local bar Hopheads, a drink consisting of Asahi beer, diet Coke, Tequila and white grape soju nicknamed Bromance is their ode to the Singapore summit.

“We’re quite a young and trendy place, so we thought that this could be interesting and relevant,” said floor manager Carlo Ibanez. The drink, which costs S$19, comes complete with stickers of Trump and Kim puckering their lips.

Hotels too are getting involved. 

Down the road from the Shangri-La Hotel Singapore – which has been touted as one of the likely venues for the summit, Royal Plaza on Scotts is including in its menu a Trump-Kim Burger and Summit Iced Tea.

Available from Jun 8 to 15, the grilled Trump-Kim Burger is made up of minced chicken and kimchi patty, seaweed, with Korean rice rolls and fries. Customers can also wash down their meal with a Summit Iced Tea, specially concocted by infusing iconic Korean flavour honey yuzu into traditional iced tea. 

In commemoration of the summit on Jun 12, the burger is priced at S$12 and the iced tea at S$6.

According to Mr Wen, Harmony has experienced a 10 per cent uptick in business since they launched their new Nasi Lemak on Monday. “The response has been quite positive, although the pricing is considered quite expensive for a nasi lemak,” Mr Wen said.

Mr Foong too has seen increased demand for the tacos, just one day after its launch. 

“People are already asking about the tacos even during lunch today. As we get closer to the summit, we’ll see more people coming in,” he said. “So far, it has quite balanced. People order two to try and share. They come hand-in-hand, it’s actually quite a good combination.”

SINGAPORE: The global spotlight will be on Singapore next week as it hosts what would be a historic summit between US President Donald Trump and North leader Kim Jong Un. 

More than 2,500 people from local and international media are expected to cover the event here, according to the number of registrations received by the Ministry of Communications and Information as of Tuesday (Jun 5).

Journalists will work from the International Media Centre which is being set up at the F1 Pit Building in the Marina Bay area.

There will be several sections at the International Media Centre, including a broadcast centre operated by Mediacorp which is the host broadcaster for the Jun 12 summit. 

Work is under way to get the International Media Centre ready. There will be about 2,000 workstations and 50 media booths, and journalists will get access to free high-speed wireless Internet access.

Other facilities include a live feed distribution system, as well as locations for broadcasters to file live reports as the event progresses. These services are, however, available for booking only on a first-come-first-served basis and subject to fees set by Mediacorp.

The International Media Centre will open round the clock from 10am on Jun 10 to 10pm on Jun 13.

Mediacorp CEO Tham Loke Kheng said the company is committed to delivering the “best possible facilities and services” to journalists covering the event.

“To this end, we are making significant investments in manpower and technical expertise and infrastructure. Mediacorp is tremendously proud to be broadcasting what is undoubtedly a historic event that will resonate across the world as a momentous step towards world peace.”

There has been no confirmation of the venue for the summit, but Shangri-La Hotel and the Capella have been touted as possible locations. The areas around both hotels have been gazetted as special event areas for the Trump-Kim summit. 

SINGAPORE: Sentosa and the linkway to the island from Harbourfront have been designated as a special event area for the upcoming summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

This was announced in a public order published in the Government Gazette online on Tuesday (Jun 5), which adds to a previous announcement that the area around Shangri-La Hotel Singapore has been designated as a special event area for the summit. Extra security measures will be in force for these areas in the period between Jun 10 and 14. 

The summit is scheduled to begin at 9am on Jun 12. The newly gazetted area is as below:

Within the special event area, there will be a special zone where stricter security checks will be conducted on people and vehicles. The special zone covers an area that includes Universal Studios Singapore and the Capella hotel. 

On Sunday, the Government had announced that the area around the Shangri-La Hotel Singapore was designated a special event area for the same event, with a special zone covering an area including Claymore Road, Cuscaden Road, and parts of Nassim Road and Grange Road.

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Special measures apply to such event areas. For instance, people entering the special event area must allow the police to inspect their personal belongings if asked.

In addition, certain items will not be allowed to be taken into the special event area. 

These include explosives and arms as well as aerosol paint containers or substances “capable of being used to mark graffiti”. Loudhailers and flags or banners larger than 1m by 1m or with a handle longer than a metre are also not allowed within the special event area.

While there has been no confirmation of the venue of the summit, the Capella has been touted as one possible location. 

There has also been speculation that the meeting may be held at the Shangri-La Hotel or The Fullerton Hotel in the Marina Bay area. 

Apart from what would be a historic meeting between Trump and Kim, the Government Gazette states that the event may also include a series of meetings between representatives of the US and North Korea, as well as “any lead-in activities and social events connected with this summit”.