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By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Aug 23: The highly anticipated Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) prototype vehicle has left spectators and motorists in awe as it glided through the Isthmus area during a historic engineering test drive which officially kicked off today.
Originally planned for a 9am start, the start of the operation was delayed until 4pm.
The scene was one of eager anticipation as dedicated workers efficiently prepared the meticulously planned route.
They arranged traffic cones along the route, delineating a precise pathway that started from the traffic light junction of the Isthmus bridge.
This pathway seamlessly extended, guiding the prototype vehicle towards the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) roundabout before transitioning onto Jalan Keruing.
Notably, this marked the debut of the hydrogen-powered ART prototype vehicle on the city roads of Sarawak.
Abdul Hafiz, a spectator who had brought his daughter to witness the momentous event, radiated an immense sense of pride.
“I am proud to be Anak Sarawak. This is truly impressive. Since we live nearby, I wanted my child to witness this technological marvel firsthand,” he told DayakDaily when approached today.
Expressing his enthusiasm for the future, the 33-year-old father shared, “I can’t wait to be able to ride on it. Thank you to the Sarawak government for making this possible.”
In the grander scheme of things, the inaugural engineering test drive unfolded without a hitch, with motorists displaying commendable cooperation and patience.
Their adherence to all traffic management instructions in place contributed to the overall success of this momentous event.
The engineering run within Isthmus will be implemented until Oct 31 with road closures and diversions in place throughout the period for the safety of road users.
The test drive is important to refine road calibration and specfications of the ART as well as to identify any potential issues before the vehicle undergoes the Proof-of-Concept (POC) exercise along a section of the Kuching-Samarahan Expressway stretching three kilometres built between two roundabouts and formed part of the permanent dedicated lane for the ART Blue Line alignment.
The ART prototype vehicle arrived in Kuching from China’s CRRC Zhuzhou Institute Co. Ltd on Aug 5.
The vehicle underwent a comprehensive assembly process at the Senari Port Terminal, where skilled technicians and engineers meticulously pieced it together over a span of two weeks.
Witnessing the ART prototype vehicle in action today underscores the remarkable progress in autonomous mobility in Sarawak. — DayakDaily
