In July 2025, WeRide announced that its Robobus had begun fully driverless operations at Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) in Singapore. Two months later, in September, the company jointly announced with Singapore-headquartered ride-hailing platform Grab the deployment of two autonomous shuttle routes in Punggol, scheduled to begin operation in early 2026. In the same month, Pony.ai unveiled a partnership with ComfortDelGro, Singapore’s largest transport operator, to deploy autonomous vehicles and related services locally, forming a closed loop of “technology + local resources.” Meanwhile, Baidu plans to launch its Apollo Go robotaxi service in Singapore and Malaysia as early as the end of 2025.
Within the broader Southeast Asian landscape, Singapore’s market may be small and its road network limited, yet it has become the testing ground where autonomous driving technology is first commercialized. This is no coincidence, but rather the result of a combination of institutional, infrastructural, social, and geographical advantages. The city-state boasts the clearest regulatory framework for autonomous driving, the most advanced digital urban infrastructure, the highest public acceptance, and a strategic hub position that links regional markets, capital, and technology flows.
Policy Support and Regulatory Environment: A Cautious Yet Open Ground for Innovation
Singapore’s emergence as the autonomous driving innovation hub of Southeast Asia—and even the world—stems fundamentally from the government’s long-term planning and institutionalized support. The world’s first city to introduce autonomous driving services to the public was not in China or the United States, but Singapore: in August 2016, it became the first city globally to pilot a robotaxi service.
From national strategies to regulatory frameworks, from a safety-oriented yet open policy stance to close collaboration among government, industry, and academia, and from a fair environment for foreign investment to top-level demonstration projects, Singapore has built a stable and open policy ecosystem. This framework provides a clear pathway for companies to test technologies, achieve commercialization, and co-create regulatory standards.
As Pony.ai’s Chief Financial Officer, Wang Haojun, told EqualOcean, “Although the development path of autonomous driving technology is similar worldwide, each country prioritizes different aspects in advancing it. Singapore’s approach is uniquely top-down and systematically driven.”
Technological and Infrastructural Advantages: An Ideal Testbed for Autonomous Driving
Beyond its supportive policies, Singapore’s technological infrastructure and urban environment make it exceptionally well suited for the deployment of autonomous vehicles—earning it the reputation of an “ideal autonomous driving testbed.”
Singapore’s urban road network is well planned, with clear and standardized traffic signage and a high level of infrastructural modernization. These conditions make high-definition mapping and sensor recognition far more reliable. In addition, the country’s wireless communication network coverage and stability are among the best in the world: with 4G/5G coverage nearing 100%, Singapore provides the essential connectivity for vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication and re3mote monitoring. Meanwhile, a stable power supply and a dense layout of charging stations—including plans for a nationwide EV charging network—further support the operation of autonomous electric vehicle fleets.
Singapore has also established a dedicated autonomous vehicle testing center, the CETRAN Autonomous Vehicle Test and Research Centre at Nanyang Technological University (NTU). There, companies can simulate a wide range of road conditions and weather scenarios for closed-track testing and certification, allowing them to fine-tune their systems without first entering public roads—a process that significantly accelerates local adaptation and deployment.
An autonomous electric shuttle developed by France's Navya SAS undergoing testing at CETRAN ; Image source: The Star
Market Acceptance and Demand: A Public Embrace of Innovation and Pain Points Driving Change
For any new technology to take root, market and user acceptance are crucial. In Singapore, the public tends to be open-minded toward technological innovation, while the city itself faces transportation and labor challenges that make autonomous driving an appealing solution.
Singapore’s population is highly educated, digitally literate, and trusts the government’s ability to safely integrate new technologies into daily life. According to The Straits Times, Singapore plans to put “numerous” autonomous vehicles on the road within the next five years—a plan that has generated anticipation rather than anxiety among the public. In November 2024, Resorts World Sentosa launched Southeast Asia’s first public autonomous shuttle route, attracting many families eager to experience the technology. Both children and parents who took the ride described it as “comfortable and safe.”
This high level of public acceptance has also been reflected in KPMG’s Global Autonomous Vehicles Readiness Index, where Singapore ranked first worldwide. Such openness and trust toward innovation not only facilitate adoption but also make the country a magnet for foreign autonomous driving companies seeking a receptive market environment.
At the same time, Singapore faces challenges common to developed economies—notably labor shortages and an aging population. The country’s public transport and service sectors have long depended on foreign workers, yet labor costs remain high and the supply is limited. As the population ages, hiring for roles such as bus drivers and sanitation workers has become increasingly difficult.
Autonomous vehicles offer a timely solution to ease these pressures. Driverless minibuses can operate on late-night routes and community shuttles where manpower is scarce; autonomous street-cleaning vehicles can reduce the burden on sanitation workers; and self-driving delivery trucks can help address the shortage of logistics personnel. The Singaporean government has explicitly framed autonomous driving as a policy response to demographic and labor challenges, believing it can boost productivity and optimize the allocation of land and human resources. Acting Minister for Transport Chee Hong Tat stated that Singapore will officially introduce autonomous community shuttles by the end of 2025, integrating them into the national public transport network.
In essence, a positive feedback loop has formed between the government and the public: the government highlights how autonomous driving benefits society, while the public is eager to try new technologies and remains rational in weighing their pros and cons. Within such an environment, Chinese autonomous driving companies entering Singapore are effectively stepping into a friendly, receptive market—one that not only welcomes innovation but also provides valuable user feedback for continual improvement.
Geographic and Commercial Hub Value: Radiating Across Southeast Asia from Singapore
Singapore has long been regarded by many multinational corporations as Asia’s business nerve center, and Chinese autonomous driving companies are no exception. According to Pony.ai CFO Wang Haojun, Singapore serves not only as the economic and technological hub of Southeast Asia but also as a gateway to the world—a crucial stepping stone for Chinese autonomous driving firms transitioning from regional deployment to global expansion.
Located at the heart of ASEAN, Singapore faces Malaysia across the strait and lies within short flying distance of major economies such as Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Establishing Singapore as a regional operations headquarters allows companies to efficiently replicate and scale their models across neighboring countries. For this reason, Baidu Apollo identified Singapore and Malaysia as its “first stops” in its global roadmap. The company aims to validate its business model and regulatory compatibility in Singapore before rapidly scaling into the larger Malaysian market.
Cities like Kuala Lumpur share similarities with Singapore in terms of culture and urban transport conditions, yet offer a much larger consumer base. Baidu clearly hopes to use Singapore’s success story to convince Malaysian regulators and passengers of the technology’s reliability and value. Conversely, once operational experience is gained in Malaysia, Chinese companies can leverage that foothold to expand further into other Southeast Asian markets.
In recent years, the Malaysian government has also shown growing interest in autonomous driving technologies, conducting driverless bus trials in Cyberjaya and unveiling a smart mobility vision in Kuala Lumpur. Once their Singapore operations mature, Chinese firms will be well-positioned to collaborate with Malaysian authorities, extending their technological capabilities and business models across borders.
Furthermore, as a global business hub, Singapore offers a sound legal system, world-class financial services, and a transparent, pro-business environment. Foreign companies can easily register entities, raise capital, and recruit talent in the city-state. Many Chinese tech innovators have already chosen Singapore as their Asian headquarters to oversee regional operations across Southeast Asia. For instance, after receiving investment from Singapore’s SMRT Corporation and K3 Ventures, WeRide swiftly established its Singapore office in September 2022.
In terms of human capital, Singapore possesses a deep pool of bilingual (Chinese–English) professionals, facilitating communication and local operations for Chinese teams. Its affluent and inclusive social environment also attracts top autonomous driving engineers from both East and West, helping companies build diverse R&D and operations teams. Compared with other Southeast Asian nations, Singapore makes it easier for Chinese firms to recruit international talent and protect intellectual property, two key requirements for global expansion.
In short, Pony.ai, WeRide, and Baidu Apollo Go—among other Chinese autonomous driving companies—have all recognized Singapore's unique advantages, making it their first destination in Southeast Asia's go-global journey. With their arrival, Singapore is poised to evolve into the region's innovation hub for autonomous driving: not only serving local passengers, but also bringing together multinational technologies and fostering a demonstration effect and industrial cluster across Southeast Asia.
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