WeRide and Grab launch Singapore's first autonomous public ride service in Punggol

WeRide and Grab officially commenced public operations of their Ai.R autonomous passenger service in Punggol on 31 March 2026, marking the first time an autonomous vehicle service has been deployed within a residential estate in Singapore.

The service, branded Ai.R — short for Autonomously Intelligent Ride — follows a community engagement phase that began in January 2026. During that period, more than 1,000 passengers, including Punggol residents and community leaders, trialled the service. The fleet has since logged 30,000 kilometres of autonomous mileage.

Rides are free until commercial service begins in mid-2026. The operators said this would allow them to gather passenger feedback and usage data to help calibrate service standards and introductory pricing.

How the service works

Members of the public can reserve rides through a dedicated link on the Ai.R website at rideair.ai. The service runs on weekdays from 9.30am to 5.30pm.

Passengers may choose between two full autonomous shuttle routes or a shorter 20-minute option designed for those seeking a brief experience with the technology. Routes were developed in consultation with the community and connect residents to key amenities and transport nodes within Punggol.

During this initial public phase, certified Safety Operators are present on board each vehicle. To date, 14 Grab driver-partners have completed specialised training with WeRide and GrabAcademy to qualify as Safety Operators, with an additional cohort currently undergoing assessments.

Workforce transition under way

WeRide and Grab have framed workforce development as a central component of the rollout. Beyond Safety Operator roles, GrabAcademy has commenced Remote Operator training, through which participants learn to monitor the fleet from the Ai.R Operations Command Centre.

Vincent Teo, a long-serving Grab driver-partner who has transitioned to the Safety Operator role, is among the first cohort to undertake the Remote Operator programme. "I am incredibly excited to progress towards Remote Operator training," Teo said. "When I first started this journey, I never imagined I'd have the opportunity to be at the absolute forefront of such advanced technology."

Ridhwan Wajib, another driver-partner who has moved into a Safety Operator position, described the transition as a privilege. "This role has been such an interesting journey that I'm constantly telling my loved ones all about it," Wajib said, adding that he looked forward to the moment his family could experience the technology.

Statements from the companies

Kerry Xu, General Manager of Singapore at WeRide, said the launch reflected the company's technological readiness and its commitment to urban mobility in partnership with Grab. "Our GXR vehicles already operate as taxis in China, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia," Xu said. "We look forward to bringing the same proven performance to Singapore, in close coordination with local authorities, as operations scale and mature."

Alejandro Osorio, Managing Director of Grab Singapore, said the service was about more than deploying autonomous vehicles. "This is about building a future where technology and the community move forward together," Osorio said. "By integrating autonomous rides into the daily lives of Punggol residents and upskilling Grab's driver-partners into new roles, we are ensuring that the benefits of innovation are shared by all."

Regulatory context and timeline

WeRide and Grab are both active members of Singapore's Steering Committee on Autonomous Vehicles. The project moved from its first Milestone 1 assessment to full public operations in approximately seven months, a timeline the companies described as indicative of both technological maturity and close government collaboration.

WeRide holds autonomous driving permits in eight markets: China, the UAE, Singapore, France, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Belgium, and the United States — a distinction the company says makes it the first and only technology firm to have received such approvals across that range of jurisdictions.

Grab, founded in 2012, operates across eight Southeast Asian countries and provides services spanning ride-hailing, food delivery, and digital financial services, including digital banking through GXS Bank in Singapore.