LTA: Comfort DelGro to pause U-turns at Punggol junction after another AV incident that almost hits vehicle

On November 5, an autonomous ComfortDelGro shuttle nearly collided with an oncoming vehicle at Punggol Field during a U-turn maneuver. The near accident was documented by the oncoming car's dashboard camera and shared on the SG Road Vigilante Facebook group, where it revealed the shuttle turning across the path of an approaching car with minimal clearance. The video's caption claimed the shuttle failed to perform a safety check before the turn.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) acknowledged the incident and initiated an investigation, as the maneuver took place outside the company's regular shuttle service. The route in question was part of an enhanced on-demand service testing initiative. The LTA instructed ComfortDelGro to cease making U-turns at the junction pending the outcome of the review.

Michael Huang, Head of Singapore Point-to-Point Mobility Business at Zig by ComfortDelGro, stated that the company was examining the incident with its technology partner and the LTA, emphasizing the company's commitment to safety and thorough assessment of the circumstances. Another concerning autonomous shuttle incident occurred in Punggol on the same day, where a shuttle almost struck a schoolgirl crossing at a green pedestrian light.

In response to this event, the LTA also directed Grab to suspend autonomous shuttle testing at similar junctions while investigations continued.

The LTA has separately directed Grab to pause testing of self-driving vehicles at certain Punggol junctions while investigations into the safety of these operations continue. While driverless technology holds promise for enhancing transport options, public safety remains paramount, and no test route is deemed acceptable if it jeopardizes road users.