Waymo plans to open a fully autonomous, all-electric commercial ride-hailing service in Singapore in 2028, working in partnership with the country’s Ministry of Transport (MOT) and Land Transport Authority (LTA). Waymo said this week that riders will book the service through the Waymo app and that its first vehicles will arrive in Singapore in the coming months. The company reports it has served more than 20 million fully autonomous rides and driven more than 186 million fully autonomous miles (300 million km) to date.
Highlights
- 2028 commercial launch: Waymo intends to open fully autonomous ride-hailing to Singapore riders through the Waymo app.
- 2027 readiness phase: Trained autonomous specialists will conduct initial manual driving to adapt the Waymo Driver to local conditions.
- Initial fleet: All-electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicles will arrive in the coming months as the company establishes local operations.
- Scale to date: The company reports more than 20 million fully autonomous rides and more than 186 million fully autonomous miles (300 million km).
What Is Waymo’s Singapore Timeline?
Waymo describes the rollout as a phased roadmap that depends on regulatory approvals and engagement with local stakeholders. The company says it is applying the same framework that has guided its growth across the United States and its work to launch in Tokyo, London, and Munich.
- Coming months: An initial fleet of all-electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicles arrives in Singapore as Waymo establishes local operations.
- 2027 readiness phase: Trained autonomous specialists conduct initial manual driving, adapting the Waymo Driver to local road geometry, monsoon weather patterns, and other conditions.
- 2028 public commercial launch: Waymo intends to open its fully autonomous ride-hailing service to riders in Singapore through the Waymo app.
Prospective riders can sign up for service-opening updates on the company’s Waymo in Singapore page.
Safety Record and Sensor Suite
According to Waymo, its vehicles have demonstrated a 94% reduction in injury-causing crashes compared to human drivers in the U.S. cities where it operates fully autonomously.
The company says its custom sensor suite of lidar, radar, and cameras provides a 360-degree view that detects and predicts the movements of pedestrians, cyclists, and active mobility users. Waymo describes the system as designed for cautious, predictable interactions on dense urban streets.
Public Transit and Emissions
Waymo says the service will complement Singapore’s public transit network rather than compete with it. The company aims to bridge first- and last-mile transit gaps across residential and commercial hubs. In San Francisco, more than a third of riders are picked up or dropped off near transit stations, according to the company.
The fleet is 100% electric, which Waymo says supports the Singapore Green Plan 2030 by helping lower urban carbon emissions and reducing reliance on private car ownership. At its current scale, the company estimates its fleet prevents 480 metric tons of carbon dioxide from road travel every week.
Leadership Comments
Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana and Singapore’s transport minister, Jeffrey Siow, met in the San Francisco Bay Area earlier this year, according to the company.
“Singapore has built one of the safest, most efficient, and most forward-thinking transportation ecosystems in the world. Their focus on reliability, sustainability, and human-centric progress directly mirrors how we have built Waymo’s technology and service,” said Tekedra Mawakana, Co-CEO of Waymo. “As we begin our journey here, we are committed to listening to the community, creating high-skilled local operational jobs, and working hand-in-hand with national leaders to complement Singapore’s world class public transit network. We are honored to collaborate with the Ministry of Transport and Land Transport Authority to take this thoughtful step forward, bringing our proven commercial safety record to the Lion City.”
Jeffrey Siow, Singapore’s Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Finance, said, “Singapore welcomes Waymo’s entry as our newest autonomous vehicle operator. Waymo brings world-class technology and operational expertise to Singapore, and will move us towards our vision of creating new transport options for Singaporeans. The partnership will also strengthen our ecosystem and create new capabilities and jobs here.”
