Grab is about to put a lot more self-driving vehicles on Singapore’s roads.
The company announced on Monday, 14 September, that it will increase its autonomous vehicle fleet from 10 to 50 vehicles over the next six months.
It will also work with the Ministry of Transport and Land Transport Authority (LTA) to expand its autonomous vehicle services within Punggol, with the longer-term aim of taking them to other parts of Singapore.
However, any expansion outside Punggol will first require regulatory approval.
Current Fleet Has Travelled Over 110,000km Autonomously
Grab’s current fleet consists of 10 WeRide GXR autonomous vehicles.
According to Grab, the fleet has travelled more than 110,000km autonomously on Singapore roads and served more than 12,000 unique riders.
More than 1,000 people are also on the waiting list for new autonomous vehicle experiences, up from more than 500 in July.
Grab and Chinese autonomous driving technology company WeRide were approved by LTA to offer community rides using autonomous shuttles in Punggol in January 2026. Public rides started in April.
A July LTA survey also found positive responses to Punggol’s autonomous shuttle services. Of around 900 respondents, 99% said they felt safe during the ride and would recommend it to others. The survey covered services operated by both Grab and ComfortDelGro.
On-Demand Self-Driving Rides Are Coming to Punggol
At the moment, Grab’s autonomous shuttles operate along fixed routes with designated stops.
That is set to change.
Grab is preparing an on-demand service in Punggol that will let passengers book an autonomous vehicle and travel directly between selected pick-up and drop-off points instead of completing a fixed shuttle loop.
More service points are expected to be introduced progressively.
A Grab spokesperson told CNA that trial riders will get access in the coming months, before the service is gradually opened to the public in the fourth quarter of 2026.
Commercial fares will apply to the new service once it opens to the public. The existing fixed-route autonomous shuttle rides will remain free while Grab tests and improves the on-demand service.
Grab is also working with government agencies on a dedicated autonomous vehicle depot in Punggol.
Grab Says Hundreds of New AV Jobs Will Be Created
The expansion is not just about adding vehicles.
Grab said hundreds of new autonomous vehicle-related roles will be created for the local workforce in areas including engineering, design and operations.
Its training arm GrabAcademy and WeRide have so far certified 30 safety operators. Six have also qualified as remote operators, while some have progressed into supervisory and training positions.
Grab said it is exploring whether Singapore could become its regional centre for autonomous vehicle localisation and deployment.
The company ultimately wants its platform to handle both autonomous and human-driven rides. Grab describes this as a hybrid model, where autonomous vehicles supplement its existing driver network rather than operate as a completely separate transport system.
The jump from 10 to 50 vehicles is part of a considerably larger plan. Grab has said it aims to deploy thousands of autonomous vehicles across Southeast Asia by 2030.
