Singapore is preparing to deploy self-driving vehicles across the island within the next five years, a major step in improving public transport. Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow says the goal is to make commuting more efficient, particularly for people living in Housing Board (HDB) estates far from the city centre.
The plan focuses on reducing journey times and easing pressure on the transport system. Self-driving minibuses and shuttles are expected to serve fixed routes in residential areas, linking people to MRT stations and key amenities. These vehicles could help overcome the challenges of manpower shortages and infrastructure limitations in expanding traditional bus services.
Smaller self-driving vehicles for HDB estates
In an interview on June 11, Mr Siow outlined a clear vision: using smaller-capacity autonomous vehicles on fixed but flexible routes in HDB neighbourhoods. These routes can be adjusted depending on peak and off-peak travel needs. During rush hours, the vehicles will help residents get to train stations or major bus interchanges. They could take people to community centres or clinics outside peak times.
“It relieves our public transport system of one key constraint, manpower,” Mr Siow said. “And it adds to the range of options people have in HDB estates.”
He highlighted how this strategy is already in use overseas, such as with Waymo’s robotaxis in San Francisco and autonomous public vehicles in Guangzhou, China — where he is planning to visit soon to study their progress. The aim is to bring similar success to Singapore.
While the country has explored autonomous vehicle technology since 2014, earlier trials failed to take off. With improved technology and stronger international models to learn from, the effort is being renewed. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) recently closed a call for proposals to begin trials of autonomous buses on certain public routes starting in mid-2026.
Cutting commute times for new estates
Mr Siow is especially focused on reducing the long travel times residents face in newer and more distant areas like Tengah, Punggol, Jurong West, and Pasir Ris. He believes that if people can reach MRT stations or main bus lines quicker—the “first and last mile,” he says—public transport will become more appealing.
“Public transport travel times can be two to three times longer than using a private car,” he explained. “If we can halve that, more people might switch to public transport.”
Expanding bus services sounds like a solution, but it’s not that simple. Training new drivers takes up to a year, and new buses also require depots and interchanges, which take time and investment to build. Adding small driverless vehicles sidesteps these challenges.
The authorities had considered using minibuses, but the numbers didn’t make sense when factoring in a human driver. This is where autonomous technology becomes key — allowing services to run more frequently and efficiently without burdening the workforce.
Planning for the future
In the longer term, Singapore is working towards its “45-minute city” and “20-minute town” goals. These targets aim to reduce most peak-hour journeys to under 45 minutes and ensure local trips can be made in 20 minutes or less using public or shared transport.
Mr Siow admitted these are stretch goals, especially with more new housing areas. Still, progress is being made. Around 80% of homes are within a 10-minute walk of an MRT station, a figure that will improve once the Jurong Region Line (2027–2029) and the Cross Island Line (2030 onwards) open.
Singapore also explores how the shift to autonomous vehicles could affect private car ownership and the Certificate of Entitlement (COE) system. “It may make less sense for you to drive your car,” Mr Siow said, calling the technology a potential “game changer” for the nation.
Although safety drivers will still be needed initially, Mr Siow is optimistic that, with time and proper planning, self-driving transport could become a regular part of daily life in Singapore.
