WeRide, Grab approved to conduct autonomous vehicle testing in Singapore

WeRide (WRD) and Grab (GRAB) announced that Singapore’s Land Transport Authority has granted them approval to conduct autonomous vehicle testing with the entire Ai.R fleet within the Punggol district. The partners commenced Punggol’s first AV testing in mid-October. With this approval, WeRide and Grab will be stepping up their AV testing program there, and now plan to increase the total number of AV test runs on its shuttle service routes in Punggol by up to four times by the end of the year. Ai.R, which is operated by Grab in partnership with WeRide, is a public autonomous ride service. The Ai.R fleet comprises 11 AVs – 10 GXRs and one Robobus. The AV test runs are critical to preparations for the launch of Ai.R, which will serve two dedicated shuttle service routes in Punggol, establishing the district as Singapore’s first residential neighborhood with an autonomous shuttle service. Ai.R is expected to take its first batch of public passengers by early 2026. Throughout the AV testing and initial phase of public rides, Safety Operators will be onboard the AVs at all times, providing real-time supervision. The autonomous shuttle service in Punggol will connect residents to key amenities like Punggol Coast MRT station, Punggol Coast Mall bus interchange, malls, and clinics.