Grab Holdings Ltd has become Southeast Asia’s first ride-hailing firm to launch a driverless taxi service, aiming to cut costs and test robotaxi operations in urban traffic.
In partnership with Chinese autonomous vehicle operator WeRide Inc, Grab is rolling out a small fleet of 11 self-driving cars on two approved routes in Singapore’s Punggol neighbourhood. The service will ferry residents to nearby amenities and transport links, following months of testing in which the vehicles carried over 1,000 passengers and logged more than 30,000 km autonomously since September.
The move is part of Grab’s strategy to demonstrate long-term profitability and strengthen its app ecosystem amid fierce competition from rivals such as Indonesia’s GoTo Group. While autonomous rides have been offered for years in the US and China, Grab has recently increased its investments in self-driving technology, backing companies including May Mobility, Vay, and Momenta, and co-investing in WeRide with Uber.
Though the new robotaxi service is not expected to significantly boost revenue in the near term, analysts say it reinforces Grab’s user retention strategy and positions the company competitively against regional rivals.
