- WeRide and Grab have commenced public robotaxi operations in Singapore's Punggol district.
- WeRide's global autonomous driving footprint has expanded to 12 countries.
Chinese autonomous driving technology company WeRide is continuing to expand its overseas footprint, teaming up with Southeast Asian ride-hailing giant Grab to launch Singapore's first public robotaxi service.
The company announced on Wednesday the official commencement of public operations for the Ai.R (Autonomously Intelligent Ride) service in the Punggol district of Singapore.
Ai.R is the first autonomous public transport service introduced into a residential area, according to Alejandro Osorio, Managing Director of Grab Singapore.
The service is currently equipped with a fleet of 11 autonomous vehicles, primarily offering two full shuttle routes and a 20-minute short-distance mini route within the Punggol residential estate.
The public can book and experience this new mode of transport for free via a dedicated website between 9:30 am and 5:30 pm on weekdays.
The free trial period is expected to last until mid-2026, after which official commercial paid operations will begin based on the passenger feedback collected.
The public roll-out of the Ai.R service follows prior community engagement and testing. Since January 2026, more than 1,000 passengers have participated in the trial rides, according to WeRide.
The launch of this service in Singapore marks a milestone for WeRide in accelerating its global commercial layout and expanding its international market share.
The company has now expanded its autonomous driving operations to over 40 cities across 12 countries globally.
With its recent announcement of entering the Slovakian market, its globally operated robotaxi fleet has surpassed 1,000 vehicles.
While advancing the commercialization of autonomous driving technology, WeRide and Grab are also focusing on the safety of daily operations and the career transition of ride-hailing drivers.
The two parties have launched a remote safety operator training program. To date, 14 experienced Grab drivers have completed the joint professional training and transitioned into autonomous driving safety operators, WeRide said.
