PM Wong vows AV rollout will match driver support measures

Two-thirds of taxi drivers are already aged 60 and above, he said.

Singapore will not let the adoption of autonomous vehicles (AVs) outpace its ability to retrain and support affected taxi and private-hire drivers, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said.

Wong announced at the National Day Rally on 23 August that the government plans to progressively scale up AV deployment following trials in Punggol.

“We do not hold back new technologies simply because they are disruptive. But neither do we leave affected workers to fend for themselves,” he said.

Wong pointed out that AVs could help address manpower constraints, with bus captains becoming harder to recruit and two-thirds of taxi drivers already aged 60 and above.

However, he acknowledged that the technology is a concern for taxi and private-hire drivers whose livelihoods depend on driving.

“We will not let adoption run ahead of our ability to retrain and support affected drivers, and help them move into new jobs,” Wong said.

“We will ensure that every worker shares in the fruits of Singapore’s progress,” he added.

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