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Corporate February
28, 2002 |
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| New ICVS Community Transport System to Start Operation in Singapore |
Tokyo,
February 28, 2002 --- Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has announced it will start operation
of the Intelligent Community Vehicle System (ICVS), a new community transport
network system, in the Republic of Singapore on March 1, 2002.
ICVS car ports (designated exclusive parking lots) will be established in three
locations (Wisma Atria, Millenia Walk and Market Street) in the Central Business
District (CBD) in Singapore, and 15 Civic Hybrid cars allocated to these ports
will be used and shared both within and outside the CBD by about 50 members.
The ICVS project in Singapore will offer three types of service plans to its members.
| (1) |
Daytime: for driving inside and outside the CBD |
| (2) |
Overnight: for commuting between a member's home and an office
within the CBD |
| (3) |
Weekend and Public Holiday: for personal use after driving home
from a port |
Initially, only the daytime plan will be made available during the first three
months and the first 30 minutes of use will be free of charge during this period.
Starting from the fourth month, service will be expanded to include all three
service plans mentioned above.
Main characteristics of the system:
| (1) |
Members can pick up and return cars using an exclusive member's smart card. |
| (2) |
It is possible to pick up or return a car at any of the ports. |
| (3) |
Members can go to any of the ports to pick up a car without making an advanced
reservation. |
| (4) |
It is possible to check the current status of vehicle availability and to
make a reservation for vehicle use by using a mobile phone or the Internet. |
| (5) |
Allocation of the vehicles is controlled to match demand and minimize the
waiting time of users. |
The ICVS project will include the participation of several local organizations
in partnership with Honda; National Computer Systems Pte. Ltd., in the area of
systems development; CityCab Pte. Ltd., in the area of system operation; and Kah
Motor Co. Sdn. Bhd., in the area of vehicle maintenance.
Singapore is considered to be a practical location for introduction of the ICVS,
since the country has limited space, and the high cost of owning a vehicle in
the country creates an environment suitable for sharing vehicles. Another factor
that makes Singapore attractive is the understanding and support of the local
government. The Singaporean government is aiming to nurture a society focused
on advanced technologies, and the ICVS system requires highly advanced control
technologies. A gradual increase in the number of fleet vehicles, carports and
members is planned, with the aim of acquiring a clearer grasp of the system's
commercial feasibility.
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