Grab will start piloting an on-demand autonomous vehicle (AV) service in Punggol that lets riders book AVs to travel directly between existing pick-up and drop-off points along current shuttle routes. The trial will open to select riders in the coming months and expand to the general public with commercial fares in Q4 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].
Until the commercial launch, the current fixed-route autonomous shuttle services will continue to operate for free. These fixed routes cover two routes in Punggol: one 10 km route with four stops at Punggol Matilda Court Block 234, Punggol Clover Block 204A, Punggol Plaza, and Oasis Terraces; and one 12 km route with five stops including One Punggol, Punggol Northshore, and Punggol Coast Mall [1, 3].
Since the autonomous shuttle service opened to the public in April 2026, over 11,500 unique riders have used the service as of July 12, 2026. A survey of passengers showed nearly 60% preferred choosing their pick-up and drop-off points while about 40% wanted more direct routes [1, 2, 3, 4]. The Land Transport Authority described the pilot as a step towards expanding on-demand, direct-routing services across more points in Punggol [4].
Grab’s autonomous mobility push in Punggol began in 2025 through a partnership with Guangzhou-based AV firm WeRide. Public shuttle operations started in April 2026 after a community pilot early this year [5]. Grab’s AV shuttle fleet has driven about 90,000 km autonomously and served over 9,000 unique riders locally [5]. The company has set up a dedicated AV depot in Punggol and plans to grow its fleet this year [5]. Singapore is running multiple AV pilots in Punggol, including partnerships with Grab-WeRide and ComfortDelGro [5].
Alex Hungate, Grab's president and COO, said, "In response to community feedback, this next phase brings increased flexibility with on-demand, direct routing. 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." [5]
Grab plans to progressively add more pick-up and drop-off points throughout 2026 in consultation with the Land Transport Authority and residents [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. The full commercial on-demand AV service with fares is set for launch in Q4 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].
