Driverless cars, making cities safer among topics at forum

At Women's Forum Asia were (from left) moderator Irene Tham and panellists Kim Young Tae, secretary-general of the International Transport Forum; Kalle Siebring, Nissan Asia Pacific and Oceania general manager of corporations communications; and Bori
At Women's Forum Asia were (from left) moderator Irene Tham and panellists Kim Young Tae, secretary-general of the International Transport Forum; Kalle Siebring, Nissan Asia Pacific and Oceania general manager of corporations communications; and Borina Andrieu, managing director at Wilmotte & Associes. ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE

Motorists who venture overseas already have plenty of cultural differences with local drivers to deal with but the challenges could be far greater once autonomous vehicles hit the road.

Take the simple act of flashing headlights twice at an oncoming car. As a panel discussion heard yesterday, that could indicate that the driver intends to give way to another motorist in the Netherlands, while in Thailand, it could be a request for the other vehicle to get out of the way.

Such cultural differences and driving etiquette will need to be addressed when driverless cars arrive on the roads, said Mr Kalle Siebring, general manager of corporate communications for Nissan in Asia and Oceania.

He told participants at the Women's Forum Asia that while there are opportunities and benefits in developing autonomous vehicles - "You will never see a car that is tired, stressed, that has had a long day of work" - it is important to consider how these vehicles can be integrated into society.

Mr Kim Young Tae, secretary-general of the International Transport Forum, said there are safety issues about autonomous vehicles that need to be considered. "Now is the time to think about the elements we need to take into account when we design our future: ethical, legal and technical aspects," he added.

Panellists at the discussion, which was moderated by Straits Times tech editor Irene Tham, also weighed in on how cities can be made safer and more inclusive.

Ms Borina Andrieu, managing director of architecture firm Wilmotte & Associes, said urban design can bring great benefits.

"By improving public spaces and buildings, you do not just change the population but also the mentality of the population," she noted, adding that design elements like lighting and landscaping can play a huge role in transforming the urban environment.

Speakers at the forum held at Raffles City Convention Centre also discussed topics such as how businesses can take a stand for inclusive growth and how fintech can shape a more inclusive financial system.

The Straits Times is a media partner for the three-day forum, which ends tomorrow.

Choo Yun Ting

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on September 19, 2019, with the headline Driverless cars, making cities safer among topics at forum. Subscribe