Key facts
- Alphabet's Waymo will launch an autonomous ride-hailing service in Singapore by 2028.
- This marks Waymo's first expansion into Southeast Asia.
- An initial fleet of electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicles will arrive in Singapore in the coming months.
- Manual driving by specialists will occur in 2027 to adapt the Waymo Driver to local conditions.
- Waymo is collaborating with Singapore's transport ministry and Land Transport Authority.
Alphabet Inc.'s autonomous driving unit, Waymo, announced on Friday that it will launch its all-electric robotaxi service in Singapore by 2028. This move signifies Waymo's first foray into Southeast Asia. The company plans to deploy an initial fleet of Jaguar I-PACE vehicles in Singapore in the coming months. In 2027, trained autonomous specialists will conduct manual driving to familiarize the Waymo Driver system with Singapore's road geometry and weather patterns, ahead of the public launch in 2028. Waymo is collaborating with the Singapore transport ministry and the Land Transport Authority for this expansion. Separately, Waymo also announced plans to launch Japan's first fully autonomous commercial taxi service in Tokyo in 2027. The company, valued at $126 billion after raising $16 billion in February, is intensifying its competition with rivals like Amazon's Zoox and Tesla in the self-driving vehicle market.