Autonomous vehicle technology might be at a nascent stage of development, but it is evolving quickly and rules need to be highly adaptable to regulate its use.

This is why the Government is amending the Road Traffic Act to better regulate trials of autonomous vehicles (AVs) here, Second Minister for Transport Ng Chee Meng said in Parliament yesterday as he set out the changes to the law.

First, the law now recognises that a motor vehicle need not be one with a human driver.

Second, technology developers will have to adhere to a suite of rules when they trial such vehicles on the roads. These include time and space limits on trials, standards for the design of AVs, and requirements for developers to share data with the Land Transport Authority (LTA).

The rules can also exempt AVs and their operators from existing legislation, which mandates that a human driver must be responsible for safe use of motor vehicles on the road. But operators would have to ensure that there is liability insurance, or place a security deposit with the LTA during the trials.

These amendments were passed into law yesterday after a two-hour debate, which saw 11 MPs speak or raise questions about the Bill.

The safety of road users was a top concern, with Nominated MP Thomas Chua, Non-Constituency MP Dennis Tan and Mr Sitoh Yih Pin (Potong Pasir) citing an accident last October involving a lorry and a self-driving vehicle from start-up nuTonomy as an example of what could go wrong.

Read also: Start-up puts brakes on self-driving trials after accident
nuTonomy restarts driverless tests after crash

Mr Melvin Yong (Tanjong Pagar GRC) asked whether guidelines would be developed to provide clarity on how road users should react in the event of an accident with an AV.

“Who would be liable should an AV hit a pedestrian or another vehicle? Would the person or persons in the AV at the time of the accident be liable? What happens if there is no one in the AV when the accident occurs?” said Mr Yong.

Mr Ng noted that AV technology is still not mature, and accidents are “not to be unexpected” during trials. But the LTA has a framework in place to minimise the possibility of accidents. This includes requiring AVs to pass a safety assessment before they can be tested on the roads, he said. “AV developers must have robust accident mitigation plans for the trials, including having a safety driver who is trained to shift swiftly to take control of the vehicle whenever necessary,” he added.

The rules governing AV trials will be in force for five years. Thereafter, the Transport Ministry could consider extending them or enacting more permanent laws.

Mr Ng said it would take about 10 to 15 years before AV technology could be deployed widely. “As this is emerging technology, the provisions will provide the flexibility needed to assess the appropriate regulatory response more quickly.”

Read also: Self-driving taxis to debut in Singapore in 2018
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Self-driving shuttle to ply NTU roads soon

This article was first published on Feb 8, 2017.
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The practice of incentivising employees to take less medical leave is prevalent in workplaces here, say human resources agencies and union representatives.

ManpowerGroup Singapore’s country manager Linda Teo told The Straits Times some firms give workers with good attendance monetary rewards, and most review medical leave records during appraisals, which can affect bonuses.

A Straits Times report yesterday said that some Singapore Airlines (SIA) cabin crew are unhappy with the company’s medical leave system – where crew members allegedly lose incentive points when they submit medical certificates (MC) for common ailments like cough and cold.

According to sources who wished to remain anonymous, these points are taken into account in staff’s annual appraisals, making up less than 5 per cent of the weightage.

The Manpower Ministry is in touch with SIA’s union and management about the crew members’ concerns.

Read Also: MOM: All employees have right to MCs

HR firms and unions said SIA’s practice of upfront incentives for attendance, if true, is unusual compared with other industries.

Ms Teo said SIA’s approach is “more unique” as it rewards employees upfront.

She said a more common practice is to reward employees during year-end appraisals if they maintain an MC-free record.

“This incentivises the employees to work towards a goal of zero or low MC record and not view this additional incentive as an entitlement.”

Others, however, were indignant.

Read Also: SIA refutes netizen’s claims over MC rules

Quantum Leap Career Consultancy’s director of talent acquisition, Mr Alvin Ang, said: “I don’t think this (SIA’s system) is the right thing to do. You are using something which instils fear.”

He sees SIA’s system as distinct from the “attendance bonus” common in service sectors such as retail and food and beverage.

F&B giants Crystal Jade and BreadTalk Group declined to comment when contacted.

Ms K. Thanaletchimi, president of the Healthcare Services Employees’ Union, said employers should be more empathetic and find out why people take sick leave.

“If you just label a person as a ‘poor performer’ (for taking sick leave), that is unfair practice,” said Ms Thanaletchimi, who is also a nominated MP.

Read Also: Some SIA cabin crew unhappy over medical leave system

Some organisations are more willing to trust their employees.

Since 2013, civil servants have been entitled to up to two rest days where they do not need MCs.

tohwenli@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on February 8, 2017.
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For the first time in 17 years, Singapore residents will have to pay more for water, as the nation seeks to ensure long-term water security.

Details of the increase in water prices for both domestic and non-domestic users will be in the upcoming Budget to be announced on Feb 20, said Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli.

He said on a visit to Singapore’s partially completed third desalination plant in Tuas yesterday that water has to be priced correctly to ensure a sustainable supply and reflect the scarcity of the resource.

The tariffs for domestic potable water, calculated monthly, stand at $1.17 per cubic m for the first 40 cubic m, and $1.40 per cubic m thereafter, excluding taxes.

The cost of producing and supplying water has increased, because of reliable but more expensive methods such as desalination and the need to renew ageing infrastructure like old production plants and pipes.

“In many countries where it is not priced properly, the water ministry is not able to recoup cost enough to build new assets to replace old assets, and sometimes, assets are just left in disrepair to the extent that even though they may have water, the water cannot get to where it is needed,” said Mr Masagos.

“Water is a very critical asset that we have to take care of.”

Experts have long called for the relatively inexpensive water prices to be raised in Singapore, as this would encourage people to reduce consumption.

Mr Masagos also noted the importance of diversifying water production methods. “If there is a more prolonged dry season affecting the region, Linggiu will actually run out in about two years. And therefore, we always must be ready to ensure that we have enough assets… to supply water to Singapore.”

The Linggiu Reservoir in Johor supplies Singapore with up to 250 million gallons of water a day under an agreement with Johor.

Mr Masagos said that even in a worst-case scenario, Singapore should not need to resort to water rationing, due to its diversified sources.

Desalinated water is the most expensive of Singapore’s four National Taps – with the other three being imported water, water from local reservoirs and Newater – given the energy needed to extract salt from seawater at high pressure.

Nonetheless, said Mr Young Joo Chye, director of engineering development and procurement at national water agency PUB, it remains a key pillar of Singapore’s water supply strategy. “As a source of water that is independent of rainfall, it bolsters the reliability of our water supply against prolonged periods of dry spells and droughts.”

Two desalination plants are now in operation here, meeting up to 25 per cent of Singapore’s water demand of 430 million gallons per day.

Desalination will meet up to 30 per cent of demand by 2030, when at least five plants are expected to be operational.

linyc@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Feb 08, 2017.
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Consumers and businesses have voiced concerns about water rates being hiked, even if some acknowledge that there is a need to do so to curb wastage of the scarce resource.

Restaurant Association of Singapore president adviser Andrew Tjioe said he hopes the Government will factor in the present economic climate when deciding on the price increase.

“We have other things to take care of like operation costs, which are very high,” he said.

Yesterday, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli said the price increase is meant to ensure the reliability of Singapore’s water infrastructure, and to reflect the scarcity of water.

This is the first time in 17 years the price is being increased.

The details will be announced during Budget 2017 on Feb 20.

Car-grooming firm Groomwerkz’s managing director Tan Thiam Yong said higher prices for water usage could prompt users to be better at conserving the resource.

“For us, we have already done all that we can to save water but for those who are not at their optimum, it might prompt them to do so,” said Mr Tan.

His company is now looking to recycle 90 per cent of the water used for car-grooming services, including car washing, by the end of the year.

Housewife Ng Kah Kiow, 54, who lives in Toa Payoh, said: “Naturally, we hope prices will not increase, but we understand that costs are going up and water is precious.”

Professor Asit Biswas, visiting professor at the National University of Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, said the domestic water price should be raised by at least 50 per cent, with subsidies for low-income and large families.

The price of water should be doubled for industrial users, so that companies will increase efforts to reduce water use, he added.

He said there should also be yearly increments according to the inflation rate, to encourage people to reduce consumption.

The tariffs for domestic potable water, which are calculated monthly, stand at $1.17 per cubic m for the first 40 cubic m and $1.40 per cubic m thereafter, excluding taxes.

Prof Biswas said Singapore would have a water crisis if the Linggiu Reservoir does dry up.

It is now at about 32 per cent full.

The reservoir allows Singapore to draw its entitlement of 250 million gallons per day from the Johor River.

Kopitiam, which operates about 80 foodcourts and coffee shops, is hoping the price increase will not be significant.

“Any price increase will definitely affect business costs… Let’s hope that the price increase won’t be too hefty,” said a spokesman.

kcarolyn@sph.com.sg

linyc@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on February 8, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.