WeRide and Grab Officially Launch Singapore's First Autonomous Public Ride Service in Punggol
Rhea-AI Summary
WeRide (NASDAQ: WRD) and Grab launched Singapore’s first autonomous public ride service, Ai.R, in Punggol on April 1, 2026. The Ai.R fleet has served over 1,000 early riders and logged 30,000km of autonomous mileage. Rides are free until mid-2026 while routes, hours and operator training scale.
Operations run weekdays 9:30 AM–5:30 PM with two full shuttle routes and a 20-minute mini route; 14 Grab driver-partners are certified Safety Operators and Remote Operator training is underway.
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
Positive
- More than 1,000 early riders served
- 30,000km of autonomous mileage recorded
- 14 Grab driver-partners certified as Safety Operators
- Public trials with free rides until mid-2026
Negative
- Limited operating hours: weekdays 9:30 AM–5:30 PM
- Service currently restricted to Punggol residential routes
News Market Reaction – WRD
On the day this news was published, WRD declined 2.47%, reflecting a moderate negative market reaction. Argus tracked a peak move of +8.8% during that session. Our momentum scanner triggered 41 alerts that day, indicating elevated trading interest and price volatility. This price movement removed approximately $72M from the company's valuation, bringing the market cap to $2.84B at that time.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
WRD gained 13.78% while peers showed mixed, smaller moves (e.g., ALRM +0.54%, NATL +1.47%, RNG +1.17%, AGYS -1.9%, GRND -2.34%), pointing to a stock-specific reaction.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 23 | Full-year 2025 results | Positive | +9.0% | Record 2025 revenue growth, margin stability, narrowed losses and buyback approval. |
| Mar 19 | Slovakia AV expansion | Positive | -0.5% | Launch of Slovakia’s first national AV program with multi-city rollout plans. |
| Mar 16 | NVIDIA GTC showcase | Positive | -2.1% | Showcasing GXR on NVIDIA platform and outlining lower AV costs and fleet growth. |
| Mar 13 | Shareholder meeting approvals | Neutral | -2.5% | Approvals for amended charter, share issuance mandates, repurchase mandate and 2026 plan. |
| Mar 12 | Tencent integration | Positive | -2.5% | Robotaxi integration into Tencent Mobility Service to expand driverless ride access. |
Recent history shows frequent negative or muted price reactions to generally positive news, with only the latest strong revenue report aligning with a sizeable gain.
Over March 2026, WeRide announced multiple growth milestones: a record 2025 revenue print with narrowed losses, expansion into Slovakia’s first national AV program, NVIDIA-powered GXR showcasing for Southeast Asia, Tencent Mobility integration in China, and shareholder approvals for new mandates and a 2026 share plan. Despite this, four of five prior items saw negative 24-hour moves, making today’s positive reaction to the Singapore public AV launch a departure from that pattern.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement marked the start of Singapore’s first autonomous public ride service in a residential estate, following over 30,000 km of autonomous mileage and trials with more than 1,000 riders. It extends WeRide’s global AV footprint and deepens its partnership with Grab, including new roles such as Safety and Remote Operators. In context of recent expansion and revenue growth news, investors may watch user uptake, service reliability and progress toward commercial fares in mid‑2026 as key metrics.
Key Terms
autonomous vehicle (av) technical
robotaxis technical
autonomous shuttles technical
remote operator technical
operations command centre technical
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
- The Ai.R (Autonomously Intelligent Ride) service is operated by Grab and features WeRide’s GXR and Robobus autonomous vehicle (AV) models.
- The Ai.R fleet has successfully served more than 1,000 early riders and clocked over 30,000km of autonomous mileage.
- The development of the Ai.R service has unlocked new career paths for Grab’s driver-partners, including roles such as Safety Operator and Remote Operator.
- Interested members of the public can now register to experience the AV service (visit rideair.ai to reserve your ride).
SINGAPORE, March 31, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WeRide (NASDAQ: WRD, HKEX: 0800), a global leader in autonomous driving technology, and Grab (NASDAQ: GRAB), Southeast Asia’s leading superapp, today officially commenced public operations for the Ai.R (Autonomously Intelligent Ride) service in Punggol. Starting today, the public can experience Singapore's first autonomous passenger service ever deployed within a residential estate.
WeRide and Grab’s GXR in Punggol
The transition to public service follows a rigorous community engagement phase. Since January 2026, more than 1,000 passengers — including Punggol residents and community leaders — trialled the service and provided feedback that has improved the ride experience. To date, the Ai.R fleet has safely clocked 30,000km of autonomous mileage.
"WeRide is proud to deliver Singapore's first autonomous public ride service in the Punggol district. This achievement reflects our technological readiness and shared commitment with Grab to advance the future of urban mobility. Our GXR vehicles already operate as taxis in China, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, providing safe and reliable point-to-point on-demand transport to our riders. We look forward to bringing the same proven performance to Singapore, in close coordination with local authorities, as operations scale and mature," said Dr. Kerry Xu, General Manager of Singapore at WeRide.
"Grab is delighted to be bringing the first autonomous vehicle service in a residential area to the public. This service is about more than just deploying state-of-the-art AVs, it is about building a future where technology and the community move forward together. By integrating autonomous rides into the daily lives of Punggol residents and upskilling Grab’s driver-partners into new roles, we are ensuring that the benefits of innovation are shared by all. We are excited to take this significant step toward a more seamless and sustainable transport ecosystem for Singapore," said Alejandro Osorio, Managing Director of Grab Singapore.
Empowering driver-partners for new AV roles
As WeRide and Grab embark on the integration of AV technologies, their key focus has also been preparing the workforce for an autonomous future.
During the initial phase of public rides, Safety Operators will be onboard the AVs to help ensure a seamless journey. To date, 14 Grab driver-partners have successfully completed specialised training with WeRide and GrabAcademy to become certified Safety Operators and another batch of Grab driver-partners are currently undergoing training and assessments.
WeRide and GrabAcademy have also commenced Remote Operator training, where participants learn how to monitor the fleet remotely from the Ai.R Operations Command Centre.
Vincent Teo, a long-time Grab driver-partner who recently transitioned to the role of a Safety Operator, is now among the first to undergo the Remote Operator programme. He shared "I am incredibly excited to progress towards Remote Operator training. When I first started this journey, I never imagined I’d have the opportunity to be at the absolute forefront of such advanced technology. This is a huge milestone for me personally — and I’m proud to be part of the team bringing this future to fellow Singaporeans."
Ridhwan Wajib, a Grab driver-partner who recently took on the role of Safety Operator, said "It's a privilege to be one of the first in this field. This role has been such an interesting journey that I’m constantly telling my loved ones all about it. More than anything, I'm looking forward to the moment my parents and my family step on board to experience this technology with me."
Inviting the public to ride with Ai.R today
The public can register for rides on the Ai.R fleet via a dedicated reservation link on the Ai.R website (visit rideair.ai to reserve your ride). Designed in consultation with the community, the routes connect residents to key amenities and transport nodes.
During the public ride phase, passengers can select their preferred routes and timings:
- Operating hours: The Ai.R fleet operates on weekdays (Monday–Friday) from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM.
- Routes: Riders can choose between two full AV shuttle routes. A 20-minute "Mini Route" will also be offered for those looking for a shorter AV experience.
- Fares: Rides will be free till commercial service begins in mid-2026, allowing more passengers to share their feedback, as well as gathering insights into usage patterns, to help to fine-tune service and pricing standards for the introductory discounted fare.
Driving the future of mobility
The launch of Ai.R service underscores WeRide and Grab’s commitment to deploy robotaxis and autonomous shuttles in Southeast Asia. Moving from the first Milestone 1 (M1) assessment to full public operations in about seven months, the project’s momentum highlights the maturity of WeRide’s technology, Grab’s operational and technical capabilities, as well as the close collaboration with the government. As active members of Singapore’s Steering Committee on Autonomous Vehicles, WeRide and Grab continue to work alongside the government to ensure AVs are safely integrated into the national transport system.
About WeRide
WeRide is a global leader and a first mover in the autonomous driving industry, as well as the first publicly traded Robotaxi company. Our autonomous vehicles have been tested or operated in over 40 cities across 12 countries. We are also the first and only technology company whose products have received autonomous driving permits in eight markets: China, the UAE, Singapore, France, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Belgium, and the US. Empowered by the smart, versatile, cost-effective, and highly adaptable WeRide One platform, WeRide provides autonomous driving products and services from L2 to L4, addressing transportation needs in the mobility, logistics, and sanitation industries. WeRide was named to Fortune's 2025 Change the World and 2025 Future 50 lists.
About Grab
Grab is a leading superapp in Southeast Asia, operating across the deliveries, mobility and digital financial services sectors. Serving over 900 cities in eight Southeast Asian countries — Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam — Grab enables millions of people everyday to order food or groceries, send packages, hail a ride or taxi, pay for online purchases or access services such as lending and insurance, all through a single app. We operate supermarkets in Malaysia under Jaya Grocer and Everrise, which enables us to bring the convenience of on-demand grocery delivery to more consumers in the country. As part of our financial services offerings, we also provide digital banking services through GXS Bank in Singapore and GXBank in Malaysia. Grab was founded in 2012 with the mission to drive Southeast Asia forward by creating economic empowerment for everyone. Grab strives to serve a triple bottom line — we aim to simultaneously deliver financial performance for our shareholders and have a positive social impact, which includes economic empowerment for millions of people in the region, while mitigating our environmental footprint.
Media Contacts
pr@weride.ai
pr.sg@grab.com
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains statements that may constitute “forward-looking” statements pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “aims,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “likely to,” and similar statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about WeRide’s beliefs, plans, and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in WeRide’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and announcements on the website of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release. WeRide does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c439a69c-a941-415c-8700-4948107580b7
