S. Korean Firm Launches Autonomous Shuttle with Grab in Singapore

SINGAPORE - Autonomous A2Z commenced autonomous shuttle operations on public roads in Singapore on Tuesday, running a 3.9-kilometre route between Grab Holdings' headquarters and One-North MRT station for company employees.

The South Korean firm operates a 24-passenger bus fitted with Level 4 autonomous driving technology.

A trained safety driver remains onboard during operations, the companies said.

Autonomous A2Z and Grab signed a memorandum of understanding in March to assess the safety, commercial sustainability, and employment impacts of autonomous vehicles in Southeast Asia.

The South Korean company conducted over 100 hours of training on the operating route. Training activities included data collection, data annotation, algorithm development, and route testing.

The system accommodates right-hand drive vehicles and left-side traffic rules, according to Autonomous A2Z.

The shuttle connects with Grab's KartaDashcam vehicle solution, which detects passenger numbers and location data. Information is transferred to Grab's mobile application in real-time, displaying shuttle schedules, positions, and seat availability to employees.

Operations run two hours daily outside peak traffic periods. Additional time is allocated for training activities.

The companies stated they will monitor results before expanding operations.

Five drivers are completing safety training programs.

The group comprises one Grab taxi driver, two GrabCar drivers, and two members of the National Private Hire Vehicles Association. The companies plan to train 10 drivers by the end of December.

Autonomous A2Z established Autonomous2Global, a joint venture with Kilsa Global, in 2024 and secured the COSMO smart city project contract.

The company obtained Singapore's M1 autonomous driving licence in May.

It operates a LiDAR Infrastructure System at Singapore's CETRAN autonomous driving test facility.