WeRide (NASDAQ:WRD) and Grab Holdings (NASDAQ:GRAB) achieved a historic milestone in Southeast Asian transportation on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, with the official launch of Ai.R, Singapore’s first autonomous public ride service.
Operating in the Punggol district, the service represents a major leap forward in the city-state's "Smart Nation" initiative and the commercialization of Level 4 autonomous driving technology.
The Ai.R fleet enters public service with a proven track record, having already served over 1,000 early-access riders and logged more than 30,000km of autonomous mileage during its rigorous pilot phase.
To encourage public adoption and gather critical user data, rides on the Ai.R shuttles will remain free of charge until mid-2026.
The service currently operates on weekdays from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM, offering three distinct travel options.
To date, 14 experienced Grab driver-partners have been transitioned and certified as Safety Operators, stationed behind the wheel to oversee vehicle operations.
Additionally, WeRide and Grab confirmed that specialized training for Remote Operators is currently underway, paving the way for fully driverless operations managed from a centralized command center in the future.