Singapore will begin testing autonomous vehicles in Punggol in the fourth quarter of this year, according to Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow.
Minister Siow shared the update on June 27 during a working visit to Guangzhou, China. The development came weeks after he unveiled ambitious five-year plans to expand self-driving vehicle deployments and enhance Singapore’s public transport system.
Meanwhile, Senior Minister of State for Transport Sun Xueling, also present during the visit, mentioned that a few potential routes in Punggol are under consideration, with suggestions and input from residents.
Siow stated that the Ministry of Transport is currently in discussions with operators and manufacturers of autonomous vehicles. The discussions also involve Singapore’s public transport operators, several of whom are collaborating with partners in China, along with the U.S.-based autonomous taxi company Waymo. Specific details, such as vehicle types, designated routes, and fare structures, are still under review and have yet to be finalized.
“We can introduce a short point-to-point fixed route services in HDB estates so that we can bring people more conveniently to the MRT station or to places where they want to go,” he added.
The self-driving shuttles will be offered on limited fixed routes within Housing Board estates, complementing existing transport options such as public buses, taxis, and private hire vehicles. In the future, this may extend to services currently limited by manpower shortages, such as night buses, which could run more frequently and reliably with the help of autonomous technology.
The minister noted that the rollout of autonomous shuttles will follow a phased approach, and the vehicles will only begin carrying passengers once residents and other users have become more at ease with them.
Siow and Sun underscored that ensuring safety remains the top priority. Each autonomous vehicle will travel at a controlled and moderate speed, rather than moving at high velocity, and will have a safety officer on board to monitor operations. The goal is to have the autonomous shuttles begin carrying passengers by the end of 2025.
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