Singapore public bus operator SBS Transit is implementing predictive maintenance technology across its fleet.

The technology comes from Portuguese company Stratio Automotive and should boost service reliability of the buses through a fleet-wide implementation of predictive maintenance. This is said to be the first-ever deployment of predictive maintenance of this scale, representing 62% of Singapore’s public bus fleet.

Powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) algorithms, this system was first installed on 1000 SBS buses leading to at least a 20% drop in bus breakdowns.

With positive feedback, SBS has begun to install it fleet-wide where work is expected to be completed by the end of this year. With the deployment of this technology across more than 3000 SBS buses, maintenance teams will gain real-time visibility over critical systems and components such as brakes, electric systems and fluid levels, and will be able to monitor data from over 200 vehicle parameters remotely. This should reduce downtime, save costs and enhance the passenger experience.

With this phase of roll-out, the system will also be equipped with the ability to predict faults with the bus air-conditioning system where failures related to it rank among the top three leading causes of bus repairs. Being able to spot early signs of trouble to intervene should improve the commuters’ experience.

With this added feature, which was jointly developed between both partners in the initial phase, SBS technicians will receive detailed fault reports whenever a deviation in the bus internal temperature is detected to enable them to carry out corrective works to maintain passenger comfort.

The Stratio bus condition monitoring system will also be piloted on the electric buses that SBS Transit operates. This will mark a first for electric buses to be installed with a bus condition monitoring system locally. Significantly, it will monitor the state of health of the battery pack for operational efficiency and effectiveness.

As part of the collaboration, both partners will also work on refining condition monitoring features that are better suited to Singapore’s weather and road conditions that could extend their lifecycle and support operations, and ensure a successful transition to zero emission buses. This will involve collecting relevant data as part of the process, and this project is expected to complete by the end of 2025.

“We are committed to bus service reliability as part of our efforts to promote public transport usage,” said Jeffrey Sim, group CEO of SBS Transit (www.sbstransit.com.sg). “It is also aligned with our sustainable mobility roadmap. With this bus condition monitoring system, we are able to anticipate faults and undertake predictive maintenance and contribute to better service reliability and elevate our passengers’ travel experience. As a leading public transport operator, we have also taken a step forward by extending this predictive maintenance technology to our fleet of electric buses where 50% of Singapore’s public fleet will be green by 2030. Our investment in this system will enable us to do a better job at operating and maintaining these zero-emission vehicles and we will continue to set the standards for the industry.”

Rui Sales, president of Stratio (stratioautomotive.com), added: “SBS Transit is at the forefront of a global revolution in transport technology. We are thrilled to extend our partnership to expand cost savings and efficiency gains to their entire Singapore operation. This collaboration reinforces Singapore’s reputation for having one of the finest transportation systems globally.”