Ai.R, a robotaxi service jointly launched by Chinese autonomous driving firm WeRide and Southeast Asian super-app Grab, has began public operations in Punggol, Singapore. The launch offers global observers an example of urban autonomous mobility scaling from trials to community service, with implications for regulation, workforce transition, and regional deployment strategies.
WeRide and Grab announced the Ai.R autonomously intelligent ride service will operate within the Punggol residential area, enabling residents to use the city-state's first public autonomous vehicle service. The full public launch builds on community engagement and testing that began in January 2026, during which more than 1,000 passengers, including residents and community representatives, took trial rides and provided feedback. WeRide reported its Ai.R fleet has safely driven over 30,000 kilometers to date.
WeRide's Singapore head, Xu Kaixin, said the launch demonstrates the maturity of WeRide's technology and the partners' shared vision for the city's future mobility. WeRide's Robotaxi GXR is already in regular operation in China, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia, the company noted. Grab Singapore managing director Alejandro Osorio described the deployment as an important step toward integrating advanced autonomous driving into everyday community life and supporting Grab's driver partners in transitioning to new roles.
During the initial public operating phase, each autonomous vehicle will be staffed with a safety operator to ensure smooth rides and passenger safety. Fourteen Grab drivers have completed joint professional training with WeRide and GrabAcademy and are certified as safety operators, with further training and assessments underway. The partners have also launched a remote safety operator training program at Ai.R's operations command center to teach fleet monitoring and real-time dispatch skills. Grab drivers who have transitioned to safety operator roles spoke positively about the career change and about sharing the experience with family and community members.
The service operates on weekdays from 9:30 to 17:30 on two full autonomous shuttle routes, plus a short route of approximately 20 minutes for short-distance trips. Members of the public can register for trial rides via the Ai.R website (rideair.ai). The ride service will be free until mid-2026, when commercial operations are expected to begin, allowing the partners to collect further passenger feedback and refine pricing and service standards.
Article edited by Jerry Chen
