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Transporting Singapore into a brighter future

Presented by the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT)

More than just convenient and accelerated communication, smartphones offer us a clever way of living. Apps like Uber and Grab (previously known as GrabCar) have revolutionised the way we travel – personal transport is right at our doorstep with a few taps on a smartphone!

But here’s what’s really smart about Uber and Grab: non-taxi drivers get to earn a quick buck while tackling Singapore’s taxi problem (why is it they’re never available when you need them?) without adding to road congestion. Happy drivers, happy passengers – all thanks to technology that has enabled these innovative services.

Although we’re still a far cry from flying cars and teleportation, advancements in technology are slowly making science fiction a reality. With more smartphone and vehicle integrations being developed, it won’t be long before motorists can control their cars via 4G networks – or even have your car parallel-park itself for you.

With Singapore’s ever-growing population, we can only expect increased congestion on our streets to further affect our nation’s mobility. However, technology can greatly alleviate the transportation woes of this little red dot.

Telematics, at the forefront of technology-meets-transportation, aims to ‘connect’ you to your vehicle. By adding communication features, anything from navigation to live weather reports can be sent directly to the driver.

But the science of telematics doesn’t stop here. Imagine your car being connected not just to your own personal devices but to an extended intelligent network, an all-encompassing transportation information web that works in real time. We’ve all seen ambulances stuck in traffic, lights flashing but going nowhere, while someone suffers inside. With telematics, that doesn’t have to happen. Emergency vehicles can leverage technology to alert drivers of their approach well in advance through wireless signals – where cars may even override driver control and automatically clear the way. Cars may be equipped with sensors that alert drivers to road accidents, possibly even pre-empting and preventing collisions altogether.

Does that sound exciting to you? If you want to harness the power of technology and streamline the way people move and travel, take up the Telematics (Intelligent Transport Systems Engineering) degree programme at Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT). You’ll be creating the future of mobility.

The four-year degree programme consists of two primary disciplines: Vehicular Telematics and Intelligent Transportation Systems Engineering. It is the first of its kind in Singapore and offers you plenty of opportunities to be part of Singapore’s booming transport industry. The programme also covers deeper learning into wireless technology and informatics (the science of processing data).

“Intelligent Transportation Systems is at the heart of what keeps us safe in our city’s road systems. Vehicles of tomorrow will have the capability to communicate with nearby vehicles wirelessly, sharing useful information on their surroundings and providing commuters and motorists with an enhanced travel experience,” says Assistant Professor Zheng Jianxin, Programme Director, SIT.

During the programme, students will embark on an eight-month Integrated Work Study Programme (IWSP) where they will work on a number of state-of-the-art technologies and gain valuable experience working alongside Singapore’s top transport industries and automotive companies such as the Land Transport Authority and Continental Automotive Singapore Pte Ltd, solving some of the country’s biggest transport conundrums.

After four years, graduates will be equipped with skills to discover and invent new technologies to help counter the challenges faced by Singapore’s growing transit system. “Graduates from this interdisciplinary programme will have a competitive advantage in the job market,” says Assistant Prof Zheng.

With fresh young minds gaining experience working on industry-relevant projects, who knows what breakthroughs the next 10 years of Singapore’s transport industry will occur? We are that much closer to developing autonomous cars and traffic infrastructures to better enhance the safety of both motorists and pedestrians on our roads.

When tomorrow’s solutions to today’s transportation issues arrive, it will be the current generation of students – currently enrolling in SIT’s Telematics degree programme – that are confidently leading the way of transforming Singapore into a Smart Nation with an intelligent transport network.

Learn more about the Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Telematics at SIT.