Autonomous self-driving shuttles in Punggol
While flying cars might still be a pipe dream in Singapore, Punggol residents can now brag that they’re living in the future. The neighbourhood, which was once called ulu, is now officially home to the autonomous self-driving shuttles, a service that sounds straight out of 2030. So even if you’re not a Punggolian (seriously, who coined that term?), we can all agree that this is a transport upgrade worth getting hyped about.
Table of Contents
- Autonomous self-driving shuttles in Punggol
- What are self-driving shuttles?
- Why was Punggol chosen?
- What are the benefits of these self-driving shuttles?
- What are the routes?
- When will these self-driving shuttles be open to the public?
- How to book a free ride during the public ride phase?
- What AV routes are available during the free public ride phase?
- What’s the entire Punggol autonomous shuttle experience like?
What are self-driving shuttles?
These self-driving shuttles are autonomous vehicles (AVs) without drivers, obviously, and are being rolled out in Punggol to ferry residents to key amenities and transport nodes around the neighbourhood. The shuttles will be operated by Grab-WeRide and ComfortDelGro-Pony.AI – 2 major players in the global AV tech scene.
If this sounds like sci-fi made real, well, AVs aren’t entirely new to Singapore. Grab has been using them since July 2025 to shuttle staff between its office and one-north MRT, while WeRide has been zipping passengers around Resorts World Sentosa for about a year. But this is the first time AVs are hitting the heartlands – so Punggol residents, congrats, you’re the chosen ones.
Why was Punggol chosen?
Punggol Digital District.
Image credit: JTC
Punggol might feel like Singapore’s favourite child right now – and honestly, we don’t blame you for thinking that. But there’s a reason.
The neighbourhood was picked for the self-driving shuttle pilot because it checks all the boxes: a compact layout ideal for AV testing, well-established travel patterns among residents, and mature road infrastructure that can handle AVs. Feedback from residents has also helped map out the best shuttle routes.
It also makes sense given how futuristic Punggol already is. With the Punggol Digital District, which has been dubbed “Singapore’s Silicon Valley”, and the GenAI-powered FairPrice Finest at Punggol Coast Mall, it seems only fitting that self-driving shuttles make their heartlands debut here.
What are the benefits of these self-driving shuttles?
2 of the 3 self-driving shuttle routes will bring you to One Punggol.
Image credit: People’s Association
For starters, these self-driving shuttles are set to make parts of Punggol that are a bit out of the way today easier to reach, and could shave up to 15 minutes off your journey.
Although Punggol residents will probably enjoy the biggest perks, the rest of us aren’t left out either. Visiting friends who live in the area before popping by Punggol Coast Mall, or exploring the list of things to do in Punggol, will become more convenient.
What are the routes?
Routes 1 and 2.
Image adapted from: LTA
There will be 3 main routes launched in stages, connecting residents to hotspots like Oasis Terraces, Punggol Plaza, One Punggol, and Punggol Coast Mall.
| Route | Operator | Area | Stops |
| 1 | Grab | Punggol West to Punggol East |
|
| 2 | ComfortDelGro | Punggol East to Punggol North |
|
| 3 | Grab | Punggol West to Punggol North |
|
Route 3.
Image adapted from: LTA
Route 1 trips will take around 35-45 minutes, running from 9.30am to 5pm on weekdays, with no pre-booking needed. Residents can look forward to saving up to 10 minutes compared to current public transport options.
Each Route 2 trip will take about 50-60 minutes, with commuters saving up to 15 minutes versus existing public transport. This route will require pre-booking on ComfortDelGro’s Zig app.
Finally, Route 3 will take around 40-50 minutes per trip, offering time savings of up to 10 minutes. Like route 1, it also runs from 9.30am to 5pm on weekdays, with no pre-booking needed.
At the moment, only routes 1 and 3 are open to the public for the trial.
When will these self-driving shuttles be open to the public?
After much testing, the self-driving shuttle routes operated by Grab were finally launched on 1st April 2026, and it’s not an April Fool’s joke. Over 1,000 riders signed up for the service, which is currently free for this public ride phase through mid-2026.
How to book a free ride during the public ride phase?
The whole booking process is actually pretty straightforward. Just head to rideair.ai and fill in the form to snag yourself a trial ride slot. From there, you’ll be led to click on a booking link depending on which option you’ve picked.
Screenshot from: Rideair.ai
According to on-site staff, there may be additional services for people who need special assistance, such as a higher platform to assist with boarding, as well as help downloading and navigating the Grab app. That said, if you require special assistance, you might have to wait a bit – slots with these additional services aren’t available at the time of writing, but could open up from mid-April.
Screenshot from: Chope
On the booking site, select your route, number of passengers, and timeslot. Each shuttle can take up to 5 passengers, including a maximum of 3 children. Do note that if your child is under 1.35m tall, you’ll need to bring a booster seat for them.
After filling in your details like your name, email address, and phone number, click on “confirm booking”. A confirmation email will be sent to you as well. Keep this email as proof of booking for the ride.
What AV routes are available during the free public ride phase?
During the public ride phase of Grab’s Ai.R shuttles, members of the public can try out the shuttle service for free by going on Route 1, Route 3, as well as a shorter Route 3 Mini, which is perfect if you just want a quick test ride without committing to the full loop.
Image adapted from: Grab
During this phase, you’ll have to complete the full loop and are not allowed to alight at a different stop from the designated pick-up stop. So yes, for now, it’s just for the fun of trying the driverless experience rather than to get you anywhere.
For Route 1, the designated pick-up point is Block 234 Sumang Lane, beside Sheng Siong, while the pick-up point for Route 3 and Route 3 Mini is at Punggol Coast Mall, Tower 82 Lobby.
Similar to the operating hours of commercial service, the Ai.R shuttle operates on weekdays from 9.30am to 5.30pm during this public ride phase.
BTW, Route 2, which is operated by ComfortDelGro, has just completed its testing phase and is currently only available to invited Punggol residents and grassroots community leaders before opening to the public.
What’s the entire Punggol autonomous shuttle experience like?
Getting to the AV pick-up point
Of course, we had to try out the shuttle while it’s still free. We opted for Route 3 Mini and headed to the lobby of Tower 82 at Punggol Coast Mall. Finding our way there was not a concern because there were plenty of signs along the way. Just follow the purple signs, and you’ll be fine.
There’ll be staff stationed at the pick-up point, who will check your confirmation email and brief you on what to expect before the ride.
Boarding the autonomous shuttle
The shuttles tend to arrive earlier than scheduled, and yes, you can board early if they’re already there. Frequency-wise, vehicles come every 15 minutes, or closer to every 10 minutes for the mini route, since it’s shorter.
Grab’s Ai.R fleet currently has 11 vehicles, with 10 WeRide GXRs currently in service for the public ride phase, as well as an 8-seater Robobus. The latter is still in its testing phase and not available for public rides yet, so we hopped on the WeRide GXR for this experience.
The first thing we noticed about the WeRide GXRs is that they are equipped with over 20 sensors, such as LiDAR arrays and high-definition cameras, to detect other vehicles and pedestrians 360° around.
They even have blind spot sensors on the front and sides, which makes me feel like the AVs might be safer than a regular car – because let’s face it, we don’t have that many eyes on the road.
The Robobus, still in its testing phase.
We also managed to catch a glimpse of the 8-seater Robobus. With its wide windowpanes all around, it looked like a moving glass box – something out of a sci-fi movie.
The interior of the Robobus.
Although the Robobus isn’t ready for passengers yet, we got a sneak peek into the interior, which had smaller seats but looked brighter than the WeRide GXR, thanks to its wide windows.
The ComfortDelGro autonomous shuttle.
Image credit: Ong Rui En
We also spotted the smaller ComfortDelGro vehicle along the routes during its testing phase.
Once you’re on the autonomous shuttle
Image adapted from: Grab
The staff directed me to open up my Grab app and tap on “More” followed by “Transit” before we entered the vehicle.
Here, we selected the route we were planning to take and accessed a “Scan QR” button. This is also where you can book the ride once commercial service begins.
Upon boarding, 1 person from your group will have to scan the QR code at the back of the safety operator’s seat.
Before the ride started, the safety operator on board reminded us that the vehicle would only move off once everyone had buckled their seatbelts.
We noticed that the vehicle is a left-hand drive because it is imported from China, and boarding or alighting is from the right door for all stops along all routes.
There are 5 large seats and some extra room for your bags. Bulky items like strollers and wheelchairs probably won’t fit, as there is no boot space, and it’s best to keep your belongings to just 1 small bag so everyone has enough room.
The seats can be adjusted forward and backwards to give yourself more legroom and can even recline completely – although we don’t recommend doing that when there are other passengers on board.
We also noticed that there were charging ports, light-up mirrors on the ceiling of the vehicle, first aid kits, as well as a screen for us to track the route progress and see what the AV is “seeing”. Other vehicles and pedestrians show up as a white block on the road.
Ending the trip
After completing the loop, we arrived back where we started. The staff directed us to mark our trip as completed via the Grab app and fill out a feedback form.
Overall, the ride felt like just any other Grab ride or even better, with how smooth it was. The vehicle kept within speed limits, yet didn’t hog the road. Some people have said that the shuttle moves a little too slow, but I think they’re just used to going too fast. It’s definitely one of the quicker transport options for getting between stops like Punggol Coast and One Punggol that are not directly connected by the Punggol LRT.
And even if you don’t live in Punggol, the autonomous shuttle is worth checking out if you’ve never ridden on one, especially since it’s free now.
How much will fares cost?
The self-driving autonomous shuttles are currently free to ride. Around mid-2026, the service will cost around $4 per passenger, but this is still subject to confirmation.
There has been some feedback that the flat fare of $4 is too high, but Grab has said that they will offer introductory discounted fares. They’re still gathering feedback during the public ride phase to “fine-tune service and pricing standards”. The final fares for the self-driving shuttles are expected to sit somewhere between public transport and ride-hailing prices.
Are self-driving shuttles safe?
Yes, every AV currently has a trained safety operator on board who will stay alert, anticipate any danger throughout the ride, and get ready to step in and manually stop the vehicle if needed. Grab and ComfortDelGro have even set up academies to train driver partners who want to transition into new roles, including safety operators.
Image credit: Pravin Ramani
According to a safety operator we spoke to, the AVs are already pretty safe on their own and having a safety operator on board at this stage is more for our peace of mind. In fact, once LTA gives the green light, safety operators could no longer be required on board, and you could just have the whole shuttle to yourselves.
The shuttles have also gone through extensive training with a trained engineer and safety operator present, learning every little detail of their assigned routes – from traffic lights and zebra crossings to speed limits.
For other motorists: just treat these shuttles like any other vehicle on the road and obey traffic rules.
These self-driving shuttles in Punggol are just a start
The neighbourhood is quickly shaping up to be Singapore’s little hub of the future. Whether you’re living there or just visiting, Punggol is starting to feel like a sneak peek of 2030, and we’re here for it.
Book a Punggol shuttle ride
More Punggol-related reads:
Cover image adapted from: The Smart Local, People’s Association
Photography by Pravin Ramani.