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Waymo in Singapore

124 points · 160 comments · ramanan

  1. shell0x · · 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 · · 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. shalmanese · · focus · HN ↗
        A lot of people get a car when they have kids as taking grab with a car seat can be unwieldy. Also, COE wasn’t always $100K, many people are still on legacy COE when it was $30-$50K
        1. shell0x · · focus · HN ↗
          That's a good call-out actually. I haven't thought of people with kids.
          1. zhivota · · focus · HN ↗
            One note, taxis are exempt from car seat laws and you can book them on demand via grab or the taxi company apps. That's what we did, it's a slight risk but so is life.
            1. red369 · · focus · HN ↗
              Are taxis exempt, but car-sharing like Grab not exempt? I have seen Grab drivers turn down taking a child without a car seat a few times.
              1. eru · · focus · HN ↗
                > Are taxis exempt, but car-sharing like Grab not exempt?

                Yes!

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