AsianFin -- On July 17, Southeast Asia’s first autonomous minibus to operate without an onboard safety driver began commercial service at Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore. The driverless Robobus, developed and operated by Chinese autonomous driving firm WeRide, marks a major milestone in the region’s public transit innovation.

The launch follows an announcement in June by Singapore’s Acting Minister for Transport, Chee Hong Tat, who visited WeRide and revealed plans to integrate autonomous shuttles into the national public transport system by the end of 2025. A trial is slated to begin in the fourth quarter of this year in the Punggol residential area.

Chee said autonomous driving technology is now mature enough for wide-scale deployment. Singapore aims to roll out at least 16 autonomous buses by mid-2026 and has issued a call for industry proposals. The expansion will run in parallel with neighborhood minibus pilots to accelerate adoption across various transport scenarios.