Grab Tests Self-Driving Shuttles In Singapore, Malaysia Next?

Grab is taking a major step into the future of transport in Singapore. The ride-hailing giant, teaming up with WeRide, started letting selected members of the public try out its autonomous shuttles in Punggol on Monday (Jan 12). 

According to The Business Times, the trial kicked off with residents and grassroots advisers getting the first rides, along with media invited to see the service in action.

The approved route stretches about 10 km, linking residential areas like Matilda Court and Punggol Clover to shopping spots such as Punggol Plaza and Oasis Terraces.

In this first phase, the shuttles operate like a fixed-route service with designated stops. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) also pointed out that these AV shuttles have already covered more than 10,000 km autonomously without incident, which is a good sign as Singapore nudges closer to everyday self-driving transport. 

Over in Malaysia, things are moving slower but steadily. Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo said the government is drafting laws to regulate autonomous vehicles on local roads, in talks with the Road Transport Department (JPJ). 

The country has already run pilot trials for the Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) system in Putrajaya think trackless trams and 5G-enabled autonomous electric buses and states like Sarawak and Johor are looking to expand similar systems soon.

Right now, Malaysia’s AV trials are guided by the Guideline for Public Road Trials of Autonomous Vehicles, mainly for research and development. The guideline classifies AVs from Level 1, where drivers get some assistance, to Level 5, which is fully autonomous. 

But for the moment, Malaysia only allows trials for Level 3 AVs, where the driver doesn’t need to watch constantly but must be ready to take over if needed. All vehicles must have a fallback mechanism for safety officers to intervene.