Waymo to launch robotaxis in Singapore, its first Southeast Asia market, by 2028
U.S. robotaxi operator Waymo is breaking into a brand new market. After unveiling roadmaps to convey its self-driving vehicles to Germany and the United Kingdom, it’s now setting its sights east.
On Sept. 18, Waymo introduced plans to launch in Singapore by 2028, marking its first entry into Southeast Asia. The announcement got here simply days after the robotaxi agency revealed plans to enter its first market in Asia: Japan.
“Singapore has constructed one of many most secure, most effective and most forward-thinking transportation ecosystems within the global community,” mentioned Tekedra Mawakana, Waymo’s co-CEO, in a Sept. 18 press launch. “As we start our journey right here, we’re dedicated to listening to the neighborhood, creating high-skilled native operational jobs and dealing…to enhance Singapore’s global community class public transit community.”
Singapore is already one of many global community’s most crowded AV trading floors. Last September, Chinese robotaxi companies WeRide and Pony AI introduced partnerships with ride-hailing platform Grab and transport operator ComfortDelGro to convey self-driving autos to the Singapore market. (Both operators are working autonomous shuttle companies in Singapore’s Punggol district, which the federal government has designated as a test bed for physical AI technology.)
Waymo’s all-electric Jaguar I-PACE autos are set to reach in Singapore within the coming months and endure a coaching section in 2027, when autonomous specialists will conduct preliminary guide driving to coach Waymo’s autos on native roads and climate patterns.
“Waymo brings world-class expertise and operational experience to Singapore, and can transfer us in direction of our imaginative and prescient of making new transport choices for Singaporeans,” Singapore’s transport minister, Jeffrey Siow, mentioned within the Sept. 18 press launch.
Last yr, Siow remarked that Singapore was enterprise a “actually huge push” for AVs, which he referred to as a ‘game-changer’ for the native transport ecosystem. “I’ve little doubt, in 5 years, we’ll see many autonomous autos in Singapore,” Siow mentioned in an interview with Singaporean broadcaster CNA.
Japan, in contrast, has a barren robotaxi panorama. The nation doesn’t but have absolutely operational public robotaxis, although Uber, Nissan and UK startup Wayve are set to launch a pilot robotaxi program in Tokyo in late 2026. Waymo’s service, to be launched in partnership with Japanese taxi app operator GO and taxi firm Nihon Kotsu, is about to go stay in 2027.
“We’ll develop our fleet responsibly over time, steadily working till anybody in Tokyo can obtain an app and take a journey,” mentioned Waymo’s Mawakana at a press convention in Japan on Sept. 15. (The want for robotaxis in Japan is very dire, given the nation’s rapidly declining populace.)
Despite the preliminary pleasure, the speedy transnational growth of robotaxis has unnerved drivers, who concern dropping their jobs. Politicians and executives, nevertheless, have largely tried to assuage such fears.
“There are over 70,000 taxi and private-hire automotive drivers in Singapore. In distinction, we solely have round 20 AVs working round on our roads,” Siow remarked throughout a parliamentary address in July. “Even if I gathered each AV within the global community right now and moved all of them to Singapore, there would solely be about 7,000 vehicles, or lower than 10% of our whole taxi and private-hire automotive inhabitants.”
