Alphabet's Waymo to launch driverless ride-hailing service in Singapore in 2028

SINGAPORE: Autonomous driving technology company Waymo will launch its fully autonomous ride-hailing service in Singapore by 2028, marking its first entry into Southeast Asia.

On Friday (Sep 18), the Alphabet-owned company announced that it is partnering the Ministry of Transport (MOT) and Land Transport Authority (LTA) to lay the foundation to introduce an all-electric commercial ride-hailing service in Singapore that commuters will be able to book through the Waymo app.

Waymo said that its first vehicles are expected to arrive in Singapore in the coming months.

An initial fleet of all-electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicles will be deployed as the company establishes its local operations.

During a "readiness phase" next year, trained autonomous specialists will initially drive the vehicles manually as Waymo adapts its autonomous driving technology, known as the Waymo Driver, to Singapore's roads and conditions.

This will include familiarising the system with local road geometry and monsoon weather conditions.

Waymo intends to begin offering fully autonomous rides to members of the public through its app in 2028, subject to regulatory approvals.