LTA tells Grab to pause self-driving vehicle testing at such junctions after near-miss with schoolgirl in Punggol
The vehicle was part of an autonomous shuttle trial launched in Punggol this year.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has instructed Grab to halt autonomous vehicle testing at specific junctions following a near-miss incident involving a schoolgirl in Punggol. The incident came to light after a video of the event was posted on Facebook by the SG Road Vigilante page on November 5. In response to queries from Mothership on November 6, LTA confirmed it was aware of the incident and currently under investigation.
Upon reviewing data, LTA clarified that the autonomous vehicle detected two pedestrians and was tracking their movements. As the traffic light turned green, the vehicle initiated a left turn. The pedestrians were initially stationary, but when the child began to cross the road, the vehicle applied brakes and swerved to the right, averting a potential collision.
An on-board safety operator then took control of the AV, manually applying brakes and steering it away from the pedestrian.
LTA has directed Grab to cease testing at similar junctions until the investigation is concluded, and the authority intends to review whether the response to such scenarios should be modified. The incident occurred during an autonomous shuttle service trial that commenced in Punggol on April 1, 2026. Grab operates two routes, while ComfortDelGro operates one. A Grab spokesperson stated that safety is their top priority, and they are aware of the incident, currently reviewing it alongside LTA and their partner, WeRide.
Written by urgent.news from Mothership's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
