As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a rising trend in the development of unmanned business opportunities and the realization of autonomous driving has become a key indicator. The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEC) stated on the 7^th of July 2020 that the innovative experiment conducted by Taiwan Turning Drive on the special bus-lane of Xinyi Road in Taipei will be the first self-driving experiment at night in Taiwan. It is expected to reach SAE Level 3 of smart driving by the 20^th of February 2021, making bus service in Taipei running uninterrupted around the clock.

          According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs(MOEA)., it is initially planned to provide the self-driving shuttle service from 00:30 to 2:30 in the early morning. The technical response capability of self-driving at night-time can be enhanced and improved through the experimental test. The experimental test will also help collect the needs of passengers at night, and it will gradually be adjusted to verify the feasibility of the service model of night-time self-driving buses as it should achieve the ultimate goal of 24-hour bus service throughout Taipei.
 

          Kingwaytek Technology Company Limited has also carried out innovative experiments with autonomous driving at Changhua Coastal Industrial Park. Providing passengers with transfer services to and from remote sightseeing areas. It renders the shuttle services between Changhua Coastal Industrial Park and Mazu Temple of Lugang, introducing the innovative operation model of transfer service by self-driving bus to connect various nearby sightseeing spots nearby. This includes Brand's Health Museum, Taiwan Glass Gallery, and the Ribbon Museum, etc. As such, it helps bring many tourists from Lukang to those sightseeing factories at Changhua Coast Industrial Park through self-driving connections.

 

        Meanwhile, the self-driving experiment at Changhua Coastal Industrial Park will introduce the application of APP to integrate the reservation service model, electronic ticket, and travel itinerary. This will help facilitate smart and technology tourism. As a result, it is hoped to promote crowds and business opportunities for local tourism.

        As noted by the MOEA, experiments are expected to be carried out successively at Shuinan of Taichung, Taoyuan International Airport, and Hsinchu High-Speed Rail Stations and other places in the second half of this year. The experiments of innovative self-driving will be rolled out to shuttle services, including from the connections from MRT stations to the community, school, and shopping centers.

        The MOEA pointed out that local governments and industry partners have collaborated to carry out innovative experiments as they would like to find out the kind of transfer service model that meets local needs and provides a smart transportation model for local people. In the future, the MOEA will help operators to apply for experimental projects in terms of logistics, 5G application, and others to encourage new entrepreneurship in combination with the experimental platform of unmanned vehicles, and develop innovative system products as well as operation of service models, etc. Most of all, the purpose is to revitalize the development opportunities of entrepreneurs and start-ups in Taiwan.

          The MOEA stated that it has worked to promote the "Technological and Innovative Experiment Program of Unmanned Vehicle" to cope with the needs of social developments, which has been successfully put into trials at Changhua Coastal Industrial Park, Love River of Kaohsiung, Taipei Special-bus lane on Xinyi Road, Shalun Green Smart Energy Science City of Tainan, Danhai of New Taipei City, and Qingpu of Taoyuan and other places, prompting the awareness of innovative technology as self-driving in Taiwan. (News source: Economic Daily News)