Self-driving buses to be tested from mid-2026 on public bus routes around Marina Bay, one-north
FROM mid-2026, six driverless buses will ply routes in Marina Bay and Shenton Way, as well as one-north in Buona Vista, as part of a pilot by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to test autonomous public bus services.
LTA launched a tender on Jan 27 to seek proposals to trial autonomous buses to evaluate the feasibility of using autonomous vehicle (AV) technology for public bus services.
This will also help it understand how to operate autonomous buses at the service and fleet levels, LTA said in a Facebook post.
The first six autonomous buses will be deployed from mid-2026 and operate alongside existing manned buses for an initial period of three years, LTA said in a statement.
The pilot will begin with smaller buses – those with at least 16 seats – on two routes, starting with service 400.
This service plies the Marina Bay and Shenton Way area, calling at Marina Bay Cruise Centre, Gardens by the Bay, and Shenton Way and Downtown MRT stations.
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The second route, service 191, plies the one-north area, stopping at one-north and Buona Vista MRT stations, as well as Buona Vista bus terminal.
“We are starting with these routes, as they are shorter and simpler,” LTA said on Facebook.
A phased approach will also allow the authority to thoroughly assess the feasibility and reliability of AV technology while ensuring public safety, LTA added.
The authority may buy up to 14 more autonomous buses to expand the pilot to two more routes later, LTA added, without elaborating.
The selected tenderer will work closely with SBS Transit, the operator of services 400 and 191, “to develop operational concepts and plans for operating the autonomous public buses”, LTA said.
During the initial phase, the buses will operate with bus captains on board as safety operators and will be monitored in real-time by LTA, which will assess the buses’ self-driving performance and compliance with regulations.
“The selected tenderer is expected to operate for at least six months to demonstrate the reliability of the autonomous buses’ self-driving and remote operations capabilities,” LTA said.
A remote safety operator will then take over the supervisory role, it added.
LTA also plans to put in place additional safeguards, such as requiring all passengers to be seated and wear seatbelts.
The tender is expected to close in the second quarter of 2025 and be awarded by the end of 2025.
Proposals must include the proposed bus models, fleet management and remote operations systems, electric charging infrastructure, hardware and software needed for AV operations, and associated maintenance and support services, LTA said.
In a Facebook post after LTA’s announcement, National Transport Workers’ Union (NTWU) executive secretary Yeo Wan Ling said the union is working to ensure that workers benefit from the introduction of new technologies like AVs.
“New technologies... must enhance the lives of our workers, and not disrupt lives and livelihoods,” said Yeo, who is also an MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC.
AVs can transform the public transport sector by bringing about safer work conditions and improving productivity.
The union’s “top priority” is to make sure transport workers are equipped and prepared for a smooth transition into the pilot, Yeo said.
To this end, NTWU is working with the LTA and public transport operators to ensure workers are supported through the transition, Yeo added.
In 2024, Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat said LTA would buy autonomous minibuses to deploy them here in partnership with a public bus operator.
Speaking at the Singapore International Transport Congress and Exhibition in November 2024, he said the roll-out will begin on “less technically challenging” bus routes with lower traffic and ridership levels, before being expanded to more challenging routes after experience is gained from initial trials.
The minister had said Singapore was starting with autonomous minibuses instead of robo-taxis, which are more challenging to operate as they travel on different routes to provide point-to-point services. THE STRAITS TIMES
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