Jakarta (ANTARA) - Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi urged the private sector to start using autonomous or unmanned vehicles.

“I am proud that the private sector has played an active role in supporting the government's efforts to present this future vehicle in Indonesia. This intelligent transport system is a necessity that will be applied," Sumadi noted at the inauguration for the use of autonomous electric vehicles in Tangerang, Friday.

The minister remarked that collaboration with the private sector will continue to run in order to accelerate the use of autonomous transportation in Indonesia.

“The private sector has a more flexible and advanced system of this kind of technology. We encourage the private sector to become involved in the construction of the transportation system in the National Capital City (IKN) later," he stated.

Sumadi later remarked that the development of IKN was conducted on the basis of the Smart, Green, and Sustainability concept.

The presence of smart and environmentally friendly transportation, such as autonomous electric vehicles, will make Indonesia a leading country, he emphasized.

"We have to believe we can make this happen along with the G20 momentum where Indonesia has assumed the presidency," he noted.

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The minister further remarked that the use of autonomous electric vehicles had several advantages as compared to conventional fossil fuel vehicles, starting from environment-friendly low-carbon emissions to reducing the rate of accidents caused by human error.

The autonomous electric vehicle inaugurated on Friday came from France under the trademark Navya of the Arma variant.

This vehicle will be operated at two location points in Tangerang: in Q Big BSD City and the BSD Green Office Park area.

Navya Arma has an electric drive and a battery pack, with a capacity of 33 kWh, that can last for nine hours. The electric vehicle has dimensions of 4.7 m x 2.1 m, with a passenger capacity of 15 people, with 11 sitting and four standing formations.

Arma is equipped with a variety of sensors ranging from the use of GPS (Global Positioning System) to LIDAR (Light Radar) sensors combined with a high-resolution camera for big data analysis, which will then be processed by a computer that has high specifications embedded in the car.

This unmanned electric transportation has the ability to accelerate, navigate, and detect environmental conditions around, including avoiding obstacles and making stops autonomously.

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Translator: Adimas Raditya F P, Resinta S
Editor: Suharto
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