Plan to test driverless buses on 2 SBST routes called off as LTA explores smaller-scale trials
LTA could try autonomous buses on employee shuttle services before more complex public bus routes.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) of Singapore has canceled plans to deploy six autonomous buses on two SBS Transit-run routes starting mid-2026. The decision was announced on October 12, following inquiries from The Straits Times. The two routes, 400 and 191, were selected due to their shorter and simpler nature.
LTA explained that it is pursuing a phased and controlled approach to the introduction of autonomous buses. Instead of a full-scale rollout on public bus services, the authority is currently investigating narrower use cases. These may include employee shuttle services, which present a more manageable testing ground for the technology.
All six autonomous buses have been delivered to Singapore. The first unit arrived in March and successfully underwent LTA’s closed-circuit test, which evaluated basic maneuvers and the safety of passenger boarding and alighting at designated stops. The remaining five buses are undergoing preparations for their own test, which will also help ensure safe navigation of autonomous vehicles on roads.
The six self-driving 16-seater buses were initially planned to operate on public bus routes in Marina Bay, Shenton Way, and Buona Vista’s one-north area. They would have served alongside manually driven buses for a three-year trial period, with bus captains on board as safety operators. LTA would monitor the vehicles in real-time, assessing their performance and compliance with regulations.
Written by urgent.news from Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
