Singapore, Jan 29 (IANS): Chinese automobile-maker BYD and Singapore's Institute for Infocomm Research have signed an agreement on a joint laboratory to develop electric cars with autonomous vehicle sensors, it was announced Wednesday.

They will develop over 100 smart cars for test-bedding in Singapore, Xinhua quoted the two sides as saying.

The cars will have drive-by-wire systems that use electronic controls to "activate the brakes, control the steering and operate other systems in the vehicles".

The two sides will also develop an autonomous vehicle fleet management system that can dynamically allocate the cars based on real time information or the vehicles' location, route, and origin-destination information.

The Agency for Science, Technology and Research, the parent organisation of the Institute for Infocomm Research, said it would contribute its expertise in integrating autonomous vehicle technologies, while BYD would bring its expertise in developing electric vehicles.

BYD is one of the leading electric car manufacturers.