Thread

Waymo in Singapore

124 points · 160 comments · ramanan

shell0x · 1789706769 · focus · HN ↗
A basic commuter car costs over S180,000( US135,000) due to a compulsory 10-year quota license (COE/certificate of entitlement) that alone costs S$100,000+, plus registration taxes scaling up to 320% of the car's base value. Total running costs (tolls, parking, road tax) easily add S1,000–S2,000+ per month.
Singapore is so small though and cabs are cheap and I never needed a car. I can see why Waymo will be very attractive.
1. vachina · 1789706924 · focus · HN ↗
  If you never needed a car in Singapore then why is the COE so expensive? COE price is determined from a bidding process.
  1. shell0x · 1789707039 · focus · HN ↗
    I said I never needed a car there :) I can get anywhere by cab in like < 30 mins so I never saw the need to have one. However there are plenty of ultra rich people living there and also many driving luxury cars. It's also a status symbol there(Credit card/Condo/Car).
    eru · 1789713480 · focus · HN ↗
    Condos are for the middle class. Landed property is the status symbol (but, alas, it doesn't start with a C.)
    Btw, the cab obviously need to bid for CoE as well.
    ValentineC · 1789718180 · focus · HN ↗
    In the 80s and 90s when the housing market was more immature, I believe condos and landed property were around the same price, and condos were seen as somewhat more prestigious because it came with private facilities.
    eru · 1789718451 · focus · HN ↗
    Probably. The classic 5 Cs are quite out of date in general: a credit card is no longer a status symbol, when anyone can get one.
    yitchelle · 1789739571 · focus · HN ↗
    Depends on the colour card, right?
    ValentineC · 1789848897 · focus · HN ↗
    Yeah, in Singapore, the cards to flex are DBS Insignia, UOB Reserve, Citi Ultima, and that black Amex.

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