Public transport commuters test wearable tech payment

SINGAPORE — Two hundred public transport commuters are now using smart wristbands to pay for their bus and MRT/LRT rides as part of a six-month trial that started today (Aug 31).

Spearheaded by the Land Transport Authority (LTA), the trial will allow commuters wearing the Sony SG50 SmartBands to pay for trips simply by holding their wrists up to the fare card reader on buses and at MRT/LRT stations.

The digital cards encoded in the wristbands will also allow users to make payments at retail and merchant outlets, track daily activities and sleep quality, as well as synchronise these measurements with smartphone apps.

“The combination of wearable technology that enables faster, easier and more convenient transit transactions, with mobile retail payment services and lifestyle/wellness tracking, is an exciting development for commuters,” said LTA Chief Executive Chew Men Leong.

“Insights provided by the trial will help LTA assess the performance of fare transactions using the smart band and gather feedback in assessing the potential use of wearable technology in public transit.”

Trial participants can top up the value in the gadget by placing the band on the card reader of a top-up device, just like how they would add value to a normal transit fare card. They can also register for automatic top-up services.

Participants can use the Singtel mWallet app to check on the balance of stored value in their wristbands via a Bluetooth connection, The wearable may also be topped up via the app in the future, added the agency.

The LTA is carrying out the trial in partnership with Singtel, Sony, EZ-Link, NETS and TransitLink.