Grab to roll out on-demand autonomous vehicle rides in Punggol ahead of Q4 commercial launch
The pilot will open to trial riders in the coming months before opening to the general public
[SINGAPORE] Grab will be launching an on-demand autonomous vehicle (AV) trial in Punggol, the group announced on Wednesday (Jul 29).
Under the new pilot, passengers will be able to book dedicated AVs on demand to travel directly between designated pick-up and drop-off locations, replacing the fixed-route shuttle format previously used.
The service aims to enhance connectivity between residential areas and key amenities, including medical clinics, markets, schools and transport hubs such as Punggol Coast MRT station.
Grab said that additional pick-up and drop-off points across Punggol will be added progressively this year in consultation with the Land Transport Authority and local community stakeholders.
The pilot will open to select trial riders in the coming months before rolling out to the general public in Q4 2026, when commercial fares will be introduced.
In the interim, Grab’s existing fixed-route shuttle services (Route 1 and 3) will remain operational and free of charge.
“In response to community feedback, this next phase brings increased flexibility with on-demand, direct routing,” said Alex Hungate, president and chief operating officer of Grab.
“This also marks the next step in Grab’s hybrid mobility strategy, where AVs complement our core driver community to expand transport options for the public.”
Hungate added that the group aims to deploy “thousands of AVs together with fleet partners across South-east Asia by 2030.”
Grab’s push into autonomous mobility in Punggol began in 2025 in partnership with Guangzhou-based AV company WeRide.
Following testing, the group introduced Community Rides in January 2026 for community leaders and residents, before opening operations to the wider public in April.
To date, the shuttle service has served over 9,000 unique riders, with the AV fleet clocking about 90,000 km of autonomous mileage on local roads.
To support fleet expansion, Grab has set up a dedicated AV depot in Punggol and plans to add more autonomous vehicles to its local fleet within the year.
Singapore has been testing AVs and gathering public views on laws regarding the technology, with a view to full commercial operation in the coming years.
Currently, two AV projects are being tested in Punggol.
Apart from Grab and WeRide’s partnership, ComfortDelGro also teamed up with China AV tech firm Pony.ai, and has similarly opened rides on its AV shuttle service in Punggol to the public, free of charge.
