A fleet of driverless shuttles operated by Grab will start running fixed routes in Punggol in the second quarter of 2026, marking a major step for autonomous mobility in Singapore.
The initiative comes after extensive trials, regulatory planning, and partnerships between Grab, the Land Transport Authority (LTA), and WeRide, an autonomous vehicle (AV) technology provider headquartered in Guangzhou.
Service Overview
Grab will be running two of the three new autonomous shuttle routes in Punggol.
The first Grab route will connect Matilda Court and Punggol Clover to the Oasis Terraces polyclinic, making stops at Punggol Plaza.
The shuttle will operate weekdays, Monday to Friday, from 9.30am to 5pm. No pre-booking is required for passengers.
ComfortDelGro will operate the second autonomous shuttle route, which passes through north-east Punggol and covers a distance of 12km.
The service connects Punggol Northshore with Oasis Terraces and Punggol Plaza. Residents in Waterway Sunrise have access to One Punggol and Punggol Coast, including the shopping mall, MRT station, and bus interchange, via this route.
Grab is operating the third route, serving commuters from Matilda Court, Punggol Clover, and Punggol Northshore, with direct links to One Punggol and the Punggol Coast mall.
Passengers are expected to save up to 15 minutes in travel time on these routes compared to conventional public transport.
Vehicle Technology
The Grab-operated shuttles use WeRide’s advanced autonomous technology and feature a striking purple livery marked “autonomous shuttle” for easy identification.
These vehicles are a mix of five- and eight-seaters equipped with a suite of sensors and cameras that provide a full 360-degree field of vision.
All shuttles will have a safety operator on board during the initial rollout, as per LTA guidelines, to ensure passenger safety and smooth operations.
Rollout Timeline and Trials
Before public launch, the shuttles will go through rigorous testing and familiarisation exercises lasting one to two months starting in late September 2025. During this phase, Grab’s trained driver-partners will act as safety operators, under supervision and emergency protocols developed for AVs.
Members of the public will be invited to ride for free in staged community boarding sessions after trials.
The entire deployment forms part of a broader Singapore government initiative for integrating autonomous technologies into neighbourhoods with diverse and predictable travel patterns.
Authorities plan to grow the fleet from an initial ten AVs in late 2025 to as many as 100–150 AVs by end of 2026.
Safety and Regulation
Safety remains a key priority for the AV trial. The shuttles use multiple sensors, including LiDAR and cameras, to navigate road conditions such as traffic signals and pedestrian crossings.
If onboard systems detect any issues, algorithms are programmed to bring vehicles to a complete stop.
The familiarisation process will include community feedback and ongoing performance monitoring, with authorities emphasising controlled and systematic integration of autonomous vehicles into Singapore’s land transport framework.
Future Expansion
Authorities expect the Punggol pilot will pave the way for further AV deployment across Singapore, with Tengah named as the next target area if the Punggol project proves successful.
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