Land Transport Innovation Portal
What is the Land Transport Innovation Portal?
The Land Transport Innovation Portal supports the development of innovative solutions to meet the Land Transport Master Plan 2040 (LTMP 2040) goals.
Through this portal, you can:
Understand the challenges, problem statements and LTA’s areas of focus
Share ideas and solutions to these challenges
Share your views on problem statements and solutions
Learn about sandbox environments, test-bedding, regulations and innovation networking events
Find out about innovation funding opportunities, application process and other administrative procedures
Submit your Ideas
Have an idea to help us reach our land transport goals? Submit an abstract of your proposed solution through our Submission Form. If your proposed idea matches what we are looking for, we will get in touch with you to find out more!
Who can apply?
Local and global organisations (e.g. private companies, research institutes or institutes of higher learning). Organisations should set up a base in Singapore to run the project and also own, manage and exploit rights of all intellectual property that is developed.
Proposed solutions will be evaluated broadly based on, but not limited to the following criteria:
| Criteria | Description |
|---|---|
| Objective |
|
| Innovativeness |
|
| Scalability & Implementation |
|
Shortlisted solutions will be funded based on the duration, scalability and readiness of technology. Funding requirements and details will be determined based on the project.
Contact Us
Reach out to us through our Contact Form for more assistance.
Join Our Mailing List!
Join our Mailing List to receive updates on the latest land transport innovation news!
(Extended) Call for Solutions – Autonomous Vehicle Monitoring System (AVMS)
Autonomous Vehicle (AV) technology is part of Singapore’s emerging Smart Mobility solutions, improving our transportation ecosystem and addressing our manpower constraints as we progress towards becoming a Smart Nation.
As part of LTA’s regulatory work to ensure safe and reliable adoption of AV technology in Singapore, we are launching a Call for Solutions (CFS) to invite interested partners and innovators to co-develop an Autonomous Vehicle Monitoring System (AVMS). The AVMS aims to facilitate the AV industry by building local records for future autonomous operations and enhance the public safety compliance of AVs on roads.
Please refer to the Problem Statement Brief - Autonomous Vehicle Monitoring System (PDF, 170kB) for more information.
LTA will hold a technical briefing on 20 Aug 2024, 2pm for interested applicants. The requirements for the AVMS proposals will be made available to interested applicants who have signed the Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) - AVMS (PDF, 177kB) and attended the briefing.
- Register your attendance for the technical briefing via this submission form by 15 Aug 2024.
- Registered applicants will receive a confirmation email by 16 Aug 2024 containing the briefing venue.
[Updated 12 Sep 2024] The submission deadline has been extended to 30 Sep 2024, 4pm (SGT/GMT+8). Please submit your proposal via this submission form. LTA will contact the shortlisted solution providers separately after the CFS closes.
Applications to Sandbox
The following sandbox applications were closed on 15 January 2024.
- Application to Sandbox for Electric Heavy Goods Vehicle (e-HGV) Battery Charging and Swapping System (BCSS) Solutions
- Application to Sandbox for Electric Vehicle Mobile Charging System (MCS) Solutions
The awardees for the sandboxes have been announced. Visit the Land Transport Sandboxes page for more information.
Data to Support Innovation Work
Enterprises, third-party developers, researchers, and the general public can obtain information from the Land Transport DataMall. This includes:
Open Datasets
- Static Datasets comprise mostly the Geographical Information System (GIS) information available in the ESRI shape file format. LTA’s statistical monthly/annual reports available in PDF and XLS formats.
- Dynamic Datasets are updated live. They are served out via APIs which are accessible with an Account Key. This is issued only to registered DataMall subscribers.
On-Request Datasets
LTA can share other datasets on a case-by case basis. This is to address requesters’ needs, while meeting LTA’s commitment to data confidentiality and privacy.
The datasets available are listed in DataMall’s “On-Request Datasets” tab. More specific information can be found within metadata in each dataset.
Two new on-request datasets are uploaded on the DataMall:
- Taxi Movement Data
- Traffic Lights Traffic Plans
To request data, requestors should download and complete the Data Sharing Form and submit it via the Contact Us page on DataMall.
Innovation @ LTA
We are able to bring innovative ideas to life thanks to collaborations with industry and research partners! We aim to deliver a safe, reliable, inclusive, cost efficient and environmentally-sustainable land transport system for our commuters.
For example, did you know we are upcycling waste by using waste plastics to pave roads? This is possible with the partnership from Samwoh Innovation Centre, Singapore Polytechnic, and Contec Fiber AG.
Read the article - "Paving the Way for Eco-Friendly Roads" to find out more about this initiative.
Enhancement of Roadworks Application Process using Artificial Intelligence
- Industry Partner: NCS Pte. Ltd.
- LTA User: Road Works Regulation and Licensing Division (RWRL)
On average, there are about 200 to 300 roadworks each day, for installations and upgrading works relating to water, sewer, drainage, power and telecommunication networks. For each roadwork, the agency or private contractor must get a permit via LTA’s Permit for Road Occupation Management Portal (LTA.PROMPT) online portal.
Innovating to Improve Efficiency
To smoothen the process of roadwork applications, we worked with NCS Pte Ltd to introduce the following:
- Automatic generation of Traffic Control Plans (TCP).
- Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to check scanned documents. Applicants are alerted if anything is missing.
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) to review applications and provide recommendations for quicker processing.
A Simpler and Shorter Process
With these features, submitting applications on roads with a simple configuration is more streamlined.
Generation of TCPs via AI/ML enhancement system
The Road Ahead
We are now exploring how to introduce more complex traffic layouts and road infrastructure. This will cater to different road configurations and traffic volume.
Viaduct Bearing Inspection with Drones
- Research Partner: Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD)
- LTA User: Asset Engineering (Infrastructure) Division (AEINF)
There are over 17,000 viaduct bearings along the North-South-East-West Line (NSEWL). In accordance to LTA’s Code of Practice, these must be inspected every 5 years - a process which is currently performed manually. Besides checking the viaduct bearings’ general condition, we also inspect key parameters such as longitudinal displacement and bearing rotations.
The challenges we face:
- Accessibility: Bearings are not easy to reach. They are typically elevated at a height of six metres or more, and found within small cavity spaces or above water bodies.
- Technology limitations: Current commercial-off-the-shelf drones are too large to fly close to the bearings and cannot capture close-up images in low-light. Instead, we would need to use scaffolds, cherry-pickers, and other specialised equipment to reach the bearings.
- Human error: The work is manually done by people. This can result in parallax errors and inconsistency.
Helping Viaduct Bearing Inspection Take Flight
We approached Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) to develop a drone to meet our inspection needs.
They designed a lightweight mini-drone not exceeding 230mm in length, that can connects to a ground power unit via a tethered-line. Components are encased within the drone’s body so the pilot can fly it to different heights and access small cavity spaces. This eliminates the need for elaborate setups for workers to manually inspect each bearing.
Automatic and Accurate Measurements
At each location, the drone will take high-definition images covering the entire width of the bearing and a 3D image will be generated. An automatic AI-enabled displacement extraction framework will be run to extract critical infrastructure measurements. This ensures accuracy of the inspection.
Reaching New Heights
The drone system will be used at viaduct bearing inspections for the NSEWL. It seeks to:
- Reduce the time taken to inspect each bearing from one hour to fifteen minutes
- Eliminate work-at-height risks and cumbersome logistical setups
- Allow for inspections to be done both during the day and night
- Improve accuracy and consistency of required measurements
- Overcome accessibility issues
We are exploring if the same drone system can be used in other areas such as ceiling inspections at MRT stations and road bridges.
Redesigning Temporary Bus Shelters
- Industry Partner: Shincon Industrial
- LTA User: Commuter Infrastructure Construction Division
As LTA progressively conducts upgrading works to existing infrastructures, it is necessary to put in place temporary structures while undergoing upgrading works. This includes the construction of temporary bus shelters.
These temporary shelters require permits such as BCA Temporary Build Permit (TBP) and Permit to Use (PTU), before any site work can commence. A two-week construction period followed by another two weeks for the demolition process would also be required.
Incorporating Innovation to an Existing Design
A conventional temporary bus shelter requires safety bollards and roof panels to be installed.
Bollard footing (left) and roof panel installation (right) for conventional temporary bus shelters
Finished Temporary Bus Shelter
To reduce the time needed and streamline the manpower-intensive construction process, LTA took an alternative approach to the form and design of the temporary bus shelter. Bollards are replaced with concrete barriers and the roofing is replaced with a canvas.
Redesigned Temporary Bus Shelter
LTA engineers worked closely with the contractors/suppliers to ensure that the redesigned temporary bus shelter does not compromise commuter safety and experience. It is also able to withstand inclement weather, as evident throughout a trial conducted from October 2022 to December 2023.
Redesigned Temporary Bus Shelter in Adverse Weather Conditions
Transforming Into Real Benefits
Overall, LTA is now able to reduce the man-hours required to install the redesigned temporary bus shelter by 75% and shorten the installation and removal durations from one month to one week. Due to the large number of bus shelters to be upgraded, the time and cost savings acquired in the construction process will be compounded significantly.
Commuters can also enjoy the upgraded bus shelters sooner, with minimised construction inconvenience (noise or dust) due to the more efficient construction process.
Redesigning the Future
Beyond bus stop upgrading works, LTA is also exploring the usage of the redesigned temporary shelters for simple maintenance works, short term road diversion and minor improvement works that would only require the diversion or closure of bus stops for a short duration.
