First self-driving shuttle route in Punggol to open by March 2026

Singapore’s first self-driving shuttle route in Punggol is expected to open to the public within the next two to three months, according to Senior Minister of State for Transport Sun Xueling. The 10-kilometre route will link residents of Matilda Court and Punggol Clover with the polyclinic at Oasis Terraces, stopping at Punggol Plaza along the way. A round-trip is estimated to take about 35 minutes.

The service, operated by ride-hailing firm Grab in partnership with Guangzhou-based autonomous vehicle company WeRide, marks the first of three driverless shuttle routes planned for Punggol. Authorities said the routes aim to serve areas that are less accessible by existing public transport, potentially reducing residents’ travel time by up to 15 minutes.

The initial launch was previously scheduled for the second quarter of 2026. Vehicles used on the route will include five- and eight-seater shuttles painted in bright purple with an amber beacon on the roof. Ms Sun highlighted that the shuttles have already completed mapping and familiarisation exercises, logging over 10,000 kilometres without any safety incidents.

Community trials to gather feedback

Ms Sun shared on social media that she recently hosted union leaders on trial rides of the autonomous shuttles in Punggol. Attendees included representatives from the National Trades Union Congress and its affiliated associations for private-hire and taxi drivers. She added that this month, other stakeholders such as grassroots leaders and agency partners will also be invited to test the service.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said these community rides are intended to gather feedback to improve the commuting experience ahead of commercial operations. Shuttle operators will also introduce apps to allow commuters to check ride availability. Passengers on the first route will not need to pre-book rides.

According to previous reports, the shuttles will operate from 9.30 am to 5 pm on weekdays. Commuters can view schedules and track vehicles in real time through the Grab app. Each vehicle will carry a safety operator who can take control if necessary, and passengers will be insured against accidents.

Ms Sun, who is also a Member of Parliament for Punggol GRC, said the autonomous shuttles will complement the wider transport system by enhancing first- and last-mile connectivity. She added that Punggol was selected as the pilot area due to its compact layout and diverse population.

Expansion plans and future deployment

The Transport Ministry has committed to working with union leaders to address job opportunities and driver concerns. Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow has previously noted that autonomous vehicles could help mitigate workforce challenges in public transport, particularly amid a shortage of bus drivers caused by an ageing workforce.

The first autonomous shuttle tests in Punggol were conducted in mid-October 2025. LTA had granted Grab and WeRide approval to trial 11 shuttles across two routes. Grab will operate two of the three planned routes. Its second route, 12 kilometres long, will connect Punggol West and Punggol North, including stops at Punggol Coast Mall and One Punggol LRT station.

The third route will be run by ComfortDelGro, using shuttles supplied by Chinese autonomous vehicle company Pony.ai. This 12-kilometre route will link Punggol East with Punggol North, stopping at the bus interchange and LRT station. Both Grab and ComfortDelGro have said they plan to maintain a shuttle every 15 minutes.

Mr Siow said in September 2025 that Singapore aims to deploy between 100 and 150 self-driving vehicles by the end of 2026 as part of a five-year plan to expand autonomous transport across the island.