By Kok Yufeng for The Straits Times
Copyright tnp
The first self-driving shuttles to be deployed in Punggol will begin to ply the roads there from next week, with the first route set to be open for wider public service by the second quarter of 2026 as part of a phased roll-out.
Decked in bright purple livery with an amber beacon on the roof, a mix of five- and eight-seater vehicles will be used to operate three routes, covering parts of Punggol that are harder to reach by public transport today and potentially shaving up to 15 minutes off the journey time.
The first batch of three vehicles will begin to map out the new routes and get familiar with the local road conditions over the coming months, without taking any passengers on board.
In early 2026, members of the community will be invited to try out the autonomous shuttle services at no charge to see how the technology works, before commercial service kicks off later in the year. As a precaution, a safety operator will be on board the vehicles at all times.
Announcing the launch of the autonomous shuttles during a public roadshow at Punggol Digital District on Sept 20, Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow said the aim is to bring in 10 self-driving vehicles by the end of 2025, and possibly 100 to 150 by the end of 2026.
“Today in Punggol, we are starting a new chapter in transport. Safer, smarter, more convenient public transport for all,” said Mr Siow.
He added that autonomous vehicles (AVs) can finally become a reality with cheaper sensors, big data and artificial intelligence.
Reiterating his vision for AV deployment here, the Acting Minister said these self-driving vehicles will complement the public bus network in the immediate term, adding more feeder routes and night services.
Mr Siow also sought to assuage fears about job displacement.
“Don’t worry, we will need human drivers for a long time yet,” he said, noting that autonomous vehicles will bring new jobs like those of remote operators and fleet managers.
Senior Minister of State for Transport Sun Xueling, who is an MP for Punggol GRC, said Punggol was selected as the first location for self-driving shuttles because of its compactness and the diversity of its residents.
There are also clear travel patterns that can be served, and the GRC’s MPs had worked with the operators to decide on routes that would best cater to residents’ needs.
“Some of our residents will understandably be concerned about the safety of these new vehicles on the ground. I want to assure our Punggol residents that safety is our key priority,” she said.
She said motorists should treat the new autonomous shuttles like any other vehicle.
Meanwhile, engagements are also being carried out with pre-school operators, schools, active ageing hubs and public transport operators to sensitise them to the presence of the autonomous shuttles on the roads.
For Chinese autonomous driving firm Pony.ai, the launch of self-driving shuttle services in Punggol on Sept 20 marks its entry into Singapore and South-east Asia.
The Guangzhou-based company will supply its vehicles to local transport giant ComfortDelGro to run one of the three new routes, building on an earlier partnership between the companies.
The other two routes will be run by ride-hailing giant Grab in partnership with WeRide, another Guangzhou-based autonomous vehicle company that has been operating in Singapore since 2024.
The first route that will open to the public in 2026 will be operated by Grab. The 35-minute, 10km-long round trip will connect residents from Matilda Court and Punggol Clover to the polyclinic at Oasis Terraces via Punggol Plaza, where there is a wet market. No pre-booking will be needed.
The service will run from 9.30am to 5pm from Monday to Friday, and passengers will be able to view the shuttle schedule and track the vehicles in real time on the Grab app.
For the ComfortDelGro-run route, which has seven stops connecting Punggol East and Punggol North, passengers will need to pre-book a trip using ComfortDelGro’s Zig app to get a ride when that service starts.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said on Sept 20 that fare details will be made known closer to the start date. To direct passengers and guide them on how to use the autonomous shuttle services, signs will be placed at the designated pick-up and drop-off points, it added.
LTA also said it will work with Grab and ComfortDelGro to refine various aspects of the shuttle services based on user feedback and demand patterns, including exploring different vehicle types with varying capacities.
“LTA will work with the operators to monitor the roll-out in Punggol, with a view of deploying similar autonomous shuttles in other HDB towns such as Tengah,” it added.
