Auto-Pilot, Activated: Grab’s Robo-Ride Revs Up Employee Commutes

Grab has launched a six-month pilot of self-driving electric shuttle buses for its staff from July 9, 2025. The action is an important move in Singapore's drive toward mass adoption of autonomous vehicles, used in routine transportation.

Key outcomes of the pilot:

The 22-seater electric bus will operate on a regular 3.9 km route between the Grab Media Circle office and the one-north MRT station.

Services will run on off-peak weekday schedules with a trained safety operator on board at all times as mandated by the Land Transport Authority.

The shuttle was created in collaboration with South Korean technology firm Autonomous A2Z and is equipped with 11 sensors and a 360-degree vision system.

Technology and training

The car racked up more than 100 hours of route training, such as data gathering, algorithm calibration, and on-road scenario testing.

It demonstrated autonomous capabilities such as lane changes, avoiding collisions, and braking on zebra crossings-even without pedestrians.

Strategic objectives and future direction:

Grab will assess the cost feasibility of self-driving short-distance shuttles and first-last mile connectivity.

The trial also investigates creating jobs in the autonomous technology industry, with five safety driver training staff and plans to double that number by the end of the year.

The pilot results will be communicated to Singapore's transport authorities to facilitate wider AV integration.

This test is in line with Grab's regional collaborations and Singapore's scheduled public AV trial in Punggol later this year.

Sources: The Straits Times, Channel News Asia, The Edge Singapore