KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 9): Experimental laboratories such as the newly-launched MRANTI Autonomous Vehicles Experimental Lab (AV XL) will be able to fuel the nation forward in the progress of transportation technology, said Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang.
He said the AV XL can also boost innovation and transforming ideas into real-world impact in the transportation technology.
Autonomous vehicles (AV) refer to modes of transportation which can operate without human control.
Chang said MRANTI AV XL is the result of a dynamic partnership between MRANTI and Futurise Sdn Bhd, a company under the Ministry of Finance, serving as the driving force behind the Malaysia Autonomous Vehicle (MyAV) Testing Route Secretariat and supported by the Transport Ministry (MOT).
“Although AV might be a scary thought for most people, it presents exciting opportunities for the future of mobility. What some may not realise is that we already have AV in use today, such as the Kuala Lumpur monorail, mass rapid transit (MRT) and the light rapid transit (LRT) systems, which run without human operators.
“AV has been used across the world, including buses for the Tokyo Olympics and today, robotaxis on the streets of California, the US; Shenzhen, China; and across Germany, which is quickly gaining public acceptance,” he said in his speech in conjunction with the launch of the MRANTI AV XL, here o n Thursday.
Also present were Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry's secretary-general Datuk Dr Aminuddin Hassim, MRANTI chief executive officer Datuk Dr Rais Hussin and Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Hasbi Habibollah.
Chang said a study by McKinsey's Centre for Future Mobility estimates that by 2030, at least 12% of new passenger cars will be sold with Level 3 to 5 (levels of driving automation) autonomous technologies and 37% will have advanced autonomous driving technologies by 2035, creating up to US$ 400 billion (equivalent to approximately RM1.873 trillion) in revenue globally.
"With those numbers in mind, the AV industry certainly presents lucrative and emerging prospects for various stakeholders.
"The multiplier effects may be seen on other industries such as insurance, manufacturing, semiconductor, electrical and electronics, software development, as well as agriculture, logistics, healthcare sectors and many more," he said.
MRANTI AV XL comprises a 12km marked test route and enclosed multi-storey car park, a digital twin for virtual testing prior to physical deployment, 5G network coverage and infrastructure for ultra-fast data transmission.
Chang said the MRANTI AV XL corresponds with the Low Carbon Mobility Blueprint 2021-2030 which aims to lower carbon emissions within the realm of land transportation.
“In addition, this effort by MRANTI is supportive of the National Automotive Policy (NAP) 2020, which includes creating an AV testbed and promoting Next-Generation Vehicles (NxGV) 78, while also going in line with the New Industrial Master Plan (NIMP) 2030, which highlights the automotive sector as a focus area, with specific attention on electric vehicles (EVs) and Renewable Energy 9,” he said.
